‘She was a light’: Teen killed alongside friend’s family in I-90 crash remembered for positivity, leadership

Mom of 13-year-old who was traveling with Rolling Meadows family said teen’s phone full of messages from friends after her death

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, Ill. — A suburban dance community is honoring the 13-year-old girl who was killed in I-90 car crash, that also killed her friend’s entire family last month.

Kat Koziara was among the victims in the wrong way in McHenry County on July 28. Kat was traveling with the Dobosz family when the van they were riding in was struck head on by a wrong-way driver near Hampshire.

Kat was part of a dance group called The Breaking Program in Prospect Heights.

She was from Rolling Meadows and friends and family describe her as creative, adventurous and a born leader who will be deeply missed.

Brittany Cederberg first met Kat four years ago, when she started break dancing lessons at Cederberg’s Dance & All That Jazz studio.

“She was a light on stage,” she said. “She was always so positive and energetic she just loved dancing. … Some students just stand out and she always would come in energetic, positive, smiling. … It was so personal when she would walk in. She would help the other students in the class.”

Cederberg last saw Kat on July 28, when the summer session ended.

“She told Alyssa at the front desk she was going to Minnesota with friends for a trip before school and that was the last thing,” Cederberg said.

It was just a few days later when Kat joined her friend Emma Dobosz and her family on a camping trip. The deadly crash occurred on 2:00 a.m. Sunday, July 31. Lauren Dobosz, and her four children also died. Dobosz’s husband Thomas died from his injuries three days later.

“When I heard about it I was obviously devastated,” Cederberg said. “Devastated for her mom her family.”

Kat was an only child. Her mother Katarzyna told WGN News her daughter’s cell phone was thrown from the van and police were able to recover it at the scene. The screen was a bit cracked, but Katarzyna said inside messages from Kat’s friends appeared after the accident. The messages said Kat was the best friend they ever had and that this summer was the best because of her. Her friends said she was a caring person and that life won’t the same without her in it.

Also in the phone were recent pictures, from a family trip to Scotland in July with her mom. Kat was born in Scottland and move to the U.S. four years ago.

Cederberg said she wants to create a student scholarship in Kat’s name.

Students will return to classes at the studio on August 18 next week. Cederberg  said there is going to be a big piece of their dance  family missing.