The Jesse White Tumblers are reeling after a devastating loss at the very moment their profile is soaring on national television. Jeff Williams, 34, of Evanston, a longtime member known to teammates as "Superman," was killed Monday evening when his motorcycle struck an SUV in Mundelein. The troupe, which just appeared on America’s Got Talent, now plans to dedicate its next national performance to him.
High‑profile audition on national TV
The timing could not be more gutting. On Tuesday, the tumblers hit the America’s Got Talent stage, wowed the judges and walked away with four yeses and a standing ovation as they pushed for a spot in the live rounds, according to Parade.
What happened in Mundelein
Roughly 24 hours earlier, tragedy had already unfolded back home. Around 5:25 p.m. Monday, on the 700 block of Lake Street just north of Route 83, a Suzuki motorcycle collided with a gray Honda Pilot that was exiting a gas station, officials said, according to the Daily Herald. Williams was pronounced dead at the scene.
Local reporting and scanner traffic indicate Williams was thrown from the bike, and that Lake County’s Major Crash Assistance Team processed the scene, per Lake and McHenry County Scanner.
Team mourns a 'cherished' member
Coach Emmanuel McGhee said the troupe is "hurt" by Williams' death but determined to keep performing, and that the team will dedicate its next America’s Got Talent routine to him, as reported by the Chicago Tribune. Williams had spent more than two decades with the tumblers, earned the nickname "Superman" from his teammates and is survived by seven children, the Tribune reported.
Roots and reach
The Jesse White Tumbling Team was founded in 1959 by Jesse White and is now in its 67th year. White, 92, still serves as a public face of the program, according to CBS Chicago. The program stages roughly 1,500 performances a year at parades, schools and civic events, and is billed as a long-running way to keep young people active, focused and off the sidelines.
Next steps for the tumblers
The team is slated to return for the Judges' Callbacks and, if selected, the Live Shows, a phase of the competition that begins in mid-August. McGhee told the Chicago Tribune the tumblers want to carry Williams' memory onto the national stage. For now, they are walking a difficult line: grieving a "cherished" teammate while sharpening their routines and rallying around Williams' family back home.
