School mourns local Marine

School mourns local Marine
By Jason Meisner
Tribune staff reporter
Published February 3, 2006, 10:48 AM CST

Flags were flying at half staff at Lisle High School this morning, and a moment of silence honored Sean Cardelli, a 2004 graduate of the school who was killed this week while serving with his U.S. Marine unit in Iraq.

Cardelli was killed Wednesday night in a firefight with insurgents in Fallujah, school officials said. A spokesman for the U.S. Marine Corps could not confirm the information this morning.

Lisle High School Assistant Principal Mark Cunningham said Cardelli's family informed the school of his death yesterday, and a moment of silence was observed during this morning's school public address announcements.

Cardelli joined the school in his sophomore year and struggled at first to fit in, but eventually joined the wrestling team and became a popular and successful student, Cunningham said.

"Lisle is a very stable community…when Sean came to the school I think he found it hard to fit in at first," Cunningham said. "But he was able to make a lot of friends…he made that transition very well."

Cunningham said that as a wrestler, Cardelli was known as a hard worker and team player, qualities that transitioned easily into a career in the military.

"A lot of times he ended up wrestling kids much bigger than him to fill a spot" for the team, Cunningham said.

Cunningham said the school also planned to honor Cardelli at an inter-school wrestling tournament it will host this week.

Cunningham did not know whether funeral arrangements had been made.

Calls to Cardelli's family home in Downers Grove were not answered this morning.

Ellie

Rest In Peace