What began as a moment of pure joy for Dennis Lewis—an eager father rushing to see his newborn daughter—ended in heartbreak that has left a family and community searching for answers.
Why was Dennis out on his motorcycle hours before the planned hospital reunion? Did something unseen alter his path that afternoon? As investigators work to piece together the tragic crash, those who loved Dennis are left grappling with loss, unanswered questions, and the weight of a future forever changed.
On Friday, July 18, 35-year-old Dennis Lewis arrived at the hospital in Illinois well before the scheduled pickup time, driven by a father’s uncontainable excitement to hold his daughter Harley. Though the plan was to bring her home later that day, Dennis simply couldn’t wait.
His fiancée, Amberly Trocke, who had been discharged with their baby the night before, was at their home in Round Lake Beach with their older daughter, Davina Jade, waiting for Dennis to return. Their plan was to reunite at Highland Park Hospital at 4 p.m. and bring Harley home together.
Amberly recalls, “He wanted her to know we were there, that she wasn’t alone.” Dennis even called to share that Harley had stirred when she heard his voice—just like she had before birth. At 1:39 p.m., he told Amberly he was grabbing dinner before heading home.
But the afternoon took a devastating turn. Around 2:39 p.m., first responders arrived at the scene of a collision in Green Oaks involving Dennis’s motorcycle and a semi-truck.
Witnesses reported Dennis had a green light on Route 176 when the truck made a left turn, striking him. Dennis died instantly from blunt force trauma to his head and neck. The truck driver was unharmed and cooperating with authorities.
Amberly’s world shattered. Weeks after welcoming their baby, she now faces a future without Dennis’s steady presence. “What I loved most about him was how fiercely he cared for us. He protected us,” she said, her voice breaking. “I just want him here more than anything.”
When Dennis didn’t come home, Amberly’s worry grew. A friend took her and Davina to the hospital to collect Harley, while Amberly frantically called local hospitals searching for news. Dennis’s mother had heard about the accident but wasn’t sure it involved him. The truth hit hard when Amberly realized the crash was Dennis’s.
“I called my mom crying and screaming,” she remembers. “I was so upset I held Davina’s ears because she said they hurt.”
Dennis was a transmission technician who had dreamed of proposing once their baby arrived. Though Davina was not his biological daughter, he loved her deeply and planned to adopt her when she was older.
Family members recall his joy as he prepared their home for the children. “He proudly showed me the rooms he painted,” said cousin Stephanie Cornell. “Seeing him as a father made me happier than ever.”
A GoFundMe organizer, Brianna Vance, captured the community’s heart, writing, “Dennis was so excited to bring Harley home and raise her in the house they built with love.”
Amberly faces the immense challenge of caring for her daughters while grieving. Davina asks who will give her piggyback rides and insists on planning her birthday, while baby Harley battles a possible gastrointestinal condition with repeated hospital visits.
“It’s really, really hard,” Amberly admits, finding solace in the hope that Dennis watches over them. “Our protector is now protecting us from the sky.”
Conclusion
Dennis Lewis’s sudden death is a painful reminder of life’s fragile and unpredictable nature. His boundless love for his family shone brightly in every moment, making his loss deeply felt. As Amberly and their children navigate the new, heartbreaking normal, their story urges us to cherish our loved ones fiercely and to lean on the strength found in community when grief feels overwhelming.