South Cook News

Brendan O’Brien, the owner of the bar and grill Reilly’s Daughter, is hosting a fundraiser for paralyzed police officer Danny Golden.

The event, Danny’s BBQ, will be held Sunday, Sept. 18 at 3 p.m. at Reilly’s Daughter, located at 4010 W 111th St. in Oak Lawn. An all-you-can-eat barbecue dinner is offered for $20 as well as T-shirts for $20.

The fundraiser for Golden – a third-generation officer assigned to the gang unit – is one of several the bar has undertaken to assist injured first responders.

O’Brien is a fourth-generation owner of his home in Mount Greenwood and said he enjoys helping those who help others.

“My grandfather was the battalion chief of the fire department. My uncle was a lieutenant. That's pretty much this whole neighborhood, cops and firemen, city workers, everybody is very tight-knit,” O’Brien told South Cook News.

“So when anything happens still to anyone that helps people out on the front lines here, being the police and fire, etcetera, we always show our support. We did a similar event last year. You know, Carlos Yanez and Ella French when he was injured and she was tragically killed, we had a giant similar fundraiser for them and raised a ton of money for their families, (also) Paul Bauer.

“We've done this numerous times and it's just we reach out to the family," O'Brien said. "We always like to try to do that. We don't like having any of that without their approval, basically. And this kind of is the same situation. Anything we can do for Danny and his situation, we're more than happy to do it. They're all from the neighborhood here. He's got a big, big family and he's got a long road ahead of them. So we'll just try to ease the burden and have a fun-filled day with lots of friends and family and neighborhood community. You know, it's the end of the day, that's kind of what it's all about.”

“I'll definitely say with the crime – growing up in this neighborhood for the majority of my life, the crime to what it's gotten in the last – I want to say it's post-COVID – the crime has just gone, I don't know exactly for what reason, but it has just skyrocketed,” O'Brien said. "People have a sense of being more aware of their surroundings now. And I've noticed, you know, from being in the bar business, I drive around pretty regular at night and, you know, I'm up late, very regular. I drive around late and I notice less and less people out on the streets at night, more restaurants and bars closing earlier than I have ever seen before. And I think that's due to fear. People are going in earlier and it's a scary thing. I hope there's something that's going to come of it in the future. That's all I can say, because people are getting sick of the crime. That's for certain.”

Golden, 33, a Chicago police officer, was breaking up a fight when he was shot and paralyzed outside of a bar in Beverly.

The bar also held a benefit for slain officer Ella French and injured officer Carlos Yanez after the two were shot after stopping a motorist.

After the 2018 killing of police commander Paul Bauer, Reilly’s Daughter held a similar benefit.

Bauer was shot to death in a Thompson Center stairwell after chasing down and struggling to detain Shomari Legghette, who is serving a life sentence for the crime.