Photo by: Northwestern Athletics
John Trautwein To Receive Second Annual ‘A Life Touched, A Generation Changed’ Award
11/13/2024 2:00:00 PM | Baseball, General, David G. Kabiller NU for Life Program
EVANSTON, Ill. (November 13, 2024) – The David G. Kabiller NU For Life Program today announced that former Northwestern baseball student-athlete and Major League Baseball pitcher John Trautwein has been selected as the second annual recipient of the 'A Life Touched, A Generation Changed' Award. The award was established in 2023 to annually honor one former Wildcats letterwinner for their resounding impact on others through actions and deeds, while serving as an inspiration to their community.
As President and Founder of The Will To Live Foundation, Trautwein runs a non-profit that works with teenagers to help increase their Will To Live and to spread teen suicide awareness in communities across the country. A monetary gift will be awarded to the Northwestern baseball program in honor of Trautwein's positive impact.
"John is a very deserving recipient of our second annual 'A Life Touched, A Generation Changed' Award," said University Trustee David G. Kabiller '85, '87 MBA. "He and his family have turned an unspeakable tragedy into helping individuals and communities across the country. As a fellow former student-athlete who has prioritized giving back to the community that has given me so much, I applaud John and Susie and their family's work around teen suicide awareness, a topic that is so important today."
A native of Barrington, Ill., Trautwein and his wife Susie are the proud parents of four children. Trautwein graduated with a degree in Chemistry from Northwestern University in 1984 where he captained the Wildcats baseball team. After graduation, he went on to play professional baseball for seven years in the Montreal Expos and Boston Red Sox organizations, including pitching for the 1988 American League East Champion Red Sox.
After baseball, Trautwein spent six years living and working in Germany and England as a sales and marketing executive before settling in the Atlanta area where he and his family have lived since 1997. Today, Trautwein is the Chief Customer Officer of Source Support Services, a global services company headquartered in the Atlanta area.
In October 2010, Trautwein and his family suffered the tragic loss of their oldest child, 15-year-old Will, who took his own life. Will, a strong, popular and successful young man, was a freshman in high school and his death devastated not only the Trautwein's but their entire community.
As a result, Trautwein and his wife, along with their surviving children and Will's closest friends, immediately formed a nonprofit organization, "The Will To Live Foundation," whose mission is to raise the awareness of teen suicide in our communities, while finding ways to proactively teach teens to improve their own Will To Live by "delivering hope" to each other.
"After the death of my son in 2010, the role that my Northwestern Baseball teammates played was not only instrumental, but vital to my healing. Their love, their support, their kindness and their friendship carried me through. They delivered hope to me while inspiring the 'Life Teammates' concept that would fuel The Will To Live Foundation. Thus, receiving this prestigious honor here at NU means the world to me – I am humbled, honored and so grateful."
Trautwein has given more than 500 speeches all over the country and his "Life Teammates" message that was inspired by his days as a baseball player at Northwestern has been recognized by CNN, USA Today, Fox Sports, Major League Baseball as well as hundreds of churches, schools, and universities around the country. Trautwein and his wife are also recipients of the George W. Bush Presidential Point of Light Award for their work with Will to Live.
Trautwein has turned the tragedy of the loss of his son into a positive message that improves the lives and the Will To Live of kids everywhere. Will To Live programs have raised more than $3 million to raise awareness, increase education and deliver hope to teens everywhere. Their efforts have funded the acclaimed "Signs of Suicide" Program in more than 1,000 schools all over the country. Trautwein has also chronicled his life story in a book, My Living Will.
In February 2023, Northwestern Athletics announced that the A Life Touched, A Generation Changed Award would be awarded annually in recognition of the generosity of Kabiller.
An alumnus of both Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and Kellogg School of Management, Kabiller was himself a student-athlete. As an undergraduate, he received an athletic scholarship to play tennis at Northwestern and was named to the Big Ten Conference Academic All-Conference team. He conceived of and ultimately endowed the Kabiller NU for Life Program to help educate students about their professional options and to inspire them through alumni mentoring.
Since its launch 12 years ago, the Kabiller NU for Life program has become an integral component of the student-athlete experience at Northwestern. More than 1,500 student-athlete alumni across every sport and undergraduate major have participated. Alumni engagement in the program also has grown exponentially, with more graduates serving as mentors, shadowing hosts and employers.
As President and Founder of The Will To Live Foundation, Trautwein runs a non-profit that works with teenagers to help increase their Will To Live and to spread teen suicide awareness in communities across the country. A monetary gift will be awarded to the Northwestern baseball program in honor of Trautwein's positive impact.
"John is a very deserving recipient of our second annual 'A Life Touched, A Generation Changed' Award," said University Trustee David G. Kabiller '85, '87 MBA. "He and his family have turned an unspeakable tragedy into helping individuals and communities across the country. As a fellow former student-athlete who has prioritized giving back to the community that has given me so much, I applaud John and Susie and their family's work around teen suicide awareness, a topic that is so important today."
A native of Barrington, Ill., Trautwein and his wife Susie are the proud parents of four children. Trautwein graduated with a degree in Chemistry from Northwestern University in 1984 where he captained the Wildcats baseball team. After graduation, he went on to play professional baseball for seven years in the Montreal Expos and Boston Red Sox organizations, including pitching for the 1988 American League East Champion Red Sox.
After baseball, Trautwein spent six years living and working in Germany and England as a sales and marketing executive before settling in the Atlanta area where he and his family have lived since 1997. Today, Trautwein is the Chief Customer Officer of Source Support Services, a global services company headquartered in the Atlanta area.
In October 2010, Trautwein and his family suffered the tragic loss of their oldest child, 15-year-old Will, who took his own life. Will, a strong, popular and successful young man, was a freshman in high school and his death devastated not only the Trautwein's but their entire community.
As a result, Trautwein and his wife, along with their surviving children and Will's closest friends, immediately formed a nonprofit organization, "The Will To Live Foundation," whose mission is to raise the awareness of teen suicide in our communities, while finding ways to proactively teach teens to improve their own Will To Live by "delivering hope" to each other.
"After the death of my son in 2010, the role that my Northwestern Baseball teammates played was not only instrumental, but vital to my healing. Their love, their support, their kindness and their friendship carried me through. They delivered hope to me while inspiring the 'Life Teammates' concept that would fuel The Will To Live Foundation. Thus, receiving this prestigious honor here at NU means the world to me – I am humbled, honored and so grateful."
Trautwein has given more than 500 speeches all over the country and his "Life Teammates" message that was inspired by his days as a baseball player at Northwestern has been recognized by CNN, USA Today, Fox Sports, Major League Baseball as well as hundreds of churches, schools, and universities around the country. Trautwein and his wife are also recipients of the George W. Bush Presidential Point of Light Award for their work with Will to Live.
Trautwein has turned the tragedy of the loss of his son into a positive message that improves the lives and the Will To Live of kids everywhere. Will To Live programs have raised more than $3 million to raise awareness, increase education and deliver hope to teens everywhere. Their efforts have funded the acclaimed "Signs of Suicide" Program in more than 1,000 schools all over the country. Trautwein has also chronicled his life story in a book, My Living Will.
In February 2023, Northwestern Athletics announced that the A Life Touched, A Generation Changed Award would be awarded annually in recognition of the generosity of Kabiller.
An alumnus of both Northwestern's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and Kellogg School of Management, Kabiller was himself a student-athlete. As an undergraduate, he received an athletic scholarship to play tennis at Northwestern and was named to the Big Ten Conference Academic All-Conference team. He conceived of and ultimately endowed the Kabiller NU for Life Program to help educate students about their professional options and to inspire them through alumni mentoring.
Since its launch 12 years ago, the Kabiller NU for Life program has become an integral component of the student-athlete experience at Northwestern. More than 1,500 student-athlete alumni across every sport and undergraduate major have participated. Alumni engagement in the program also has grown exponentially, with more graduates serving as mentors, shadowing hosts and employers.
Northwestern | Class of 2020
Friday, June 19
NU For Life Promo Video 2015
Friday, November 20
A Look Inside: NU for Life
Tuesday, June 30
