Jacksonville police lieutenant honored for saving local businessman’s life
A Jacksonville police lieutenant was singled out for helping save Brad Fellhauer’s life during a March 16 medical crisis tied to his heart surgery recovery.
Jacksonville police Lt. Mark Lonergan has been presented with the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Life Saving Award for helping save the life of Brad Fellhauer, a recognition that tied a fast-moving medical emergency in Morgan County to one of the state’s highest police honors.
The life-saving incident happened on March 16, during Fellhauer’s recovery from heart surgery. Lonergan’s role in that response was serious enough to draw formal recognition from the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, which says its awards program honors people who make significant contributions to law enforcement, the organization itself and the community at large. Recipients are chosen by an awards committee through peer nominations, and the Life Saving Award is reserved for sworn and non-sworn police personnel directly responsible for saving a human life.
The honor also put a local face on a statewide organization that says it represents more than 34,000 law enforcement professionals across Illinois. In Jacksonville, the award lands in a community where police work often reaches far beyond arrests and traffic stops and into moments when calm judgment and rapid action matter most. For residents, the recognition serves as a reminder that first responders may be the first line of defense when a medical crisis turns urgent.
Fellhauer is a familiar name in Jacksonville business circles. Local reporting identifies Brad and Kim Fellhauer as the married owners of several Jacksonville food and banquet establishments, which helps explain why Lonergan’s recognition resonated well beyond the police department. This was not a distant state citation for an unknown case. It was an acknowledgment of a life saved in a community where the people involved are known by name.
The award was reported May 22, about two months after the March 16 emergency, suggesting the episode was reviewed and formally recognized before the honor was made public. It also follows another round of statewide attention for Jacksonville-area officers: in December 2023, nearly two dozen local officers received Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Meritorious Service Awards for defusing armed and dangerous incidents. Together, the recognitions show how the Jacksonville Police Department and other area agencies have repeatedly been acknowledged for work that demands more than routine patrol, including crisis response that can decide whether a neighbor lives or dies.
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