Two people killed in crash on I-80 in Tinley Park, Illinois, have been identified as Tyler Koscinski and Mason Santiago; they were close friends since elementary school

TINLEY PARK, Ill. (WLS) — Two young men died in a crash early Sunday morning on Interstate 80 in southern suburban Illinois, state police said.

ISP reported that the crash occurred on I-80 westbound between La Grange Road and Harlem Avenue in Tinley Park just before 4:30 a.m.

ABC7 Chicago is now available to watch 24/7. Click here to watch

Police said the SUV was traveling west when it collided with the truck. The two men killed had been friends since elementary school, their families said.

They were identified as Tyler Koscinski, who had just turned 20, and his friend Mason Santiago.

“Oh my God, he’s just a light. The light of our lives,” said Koscinski’s mother, Kelly. “He’s a phenomenal brother, athlete and just a crazy, funny kid who loved everybody.”

Koscinski loved baseball and even spent a year at Aurora University to plan his future career.

“He wanted to be a gym teacher. Then a coach,” said father Chris Koscinski. “He just didn’t make it, that’s all.”

The couple were killed as they returned home from St. Xavier University, where Santiago studied and played on the football team.

“They were best friends,” Kelly Koscinski said with tears in her eyes.

The family said Santiago and Koscinski met in the third grade and did everything together from then on.

“They were goofballs together. They played together, danced together, played sports together, and competed against each other,” Kelly said. “He was, he was like another one of us here.”

ABC7 reached out to Santiago’s family, who said their son lived with great passion and love for everyone, and they sympathize with the Kościńskis who share their loss.