Garrison Medill

Garrison Medill, also known as "Gary" Medill, was born in Evanston, Illinois on December 10, 1945. As the only son of homemaker Natalie Davis and dentist Howard Medill, he was not interested in politics immediately. He informed his parents he dreamed of becoming a dentist at age eight. Soon after his father had Gary working in his office after school, helping in getting patients ready, and cleaning up after patients once they had left. Although the work proved highly satisfying to him, during his high school years he decided he to attend Indiana University's School of Dentistry, going on to become a full-fledged dental assistant at his father's office, where he often performed cleanings on patients, as well as took X-rays.
In 1960, on a trip to an ADA conference in Florida, Garrison Medill's parents, Howard and Natalie Medill, were involved in a car accident ten minutes outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee that killed both of them instantly. An eighteen-wheel truck had jackknifed, crushing the top of the car underneath the trailer. Garrison, who was at home studying for high school finals, had stayed behind with an aunt, and was informed of the news a few hours later. Later that night, his aunt drove down to Tennessee to retrieve the bodies. Of the accident, Garrison has said, "I couldn't think. I couldn’t function. How do you, after something like that? It changes you forever." It became a pivotal moment in his life that changed hin entirely.
At only fifteen, Garrison Medill was still a minor. He inherited his father's house and remained in his aunt's custody until his graduation from high school in 1962. He graduated fifth in his class. Instead of going on to Indiana University, Garrison decided to attend Pratt Institute, where he pursued a degree in sculpture. There has been a long debate as to why he abandoned the dentistry field. While Garrison himself has never spoken on the subject, it is speculated that he couldn't carry on in the dentistry field and take over the business without his father, both emotionally and legally. Another possible reason is that, with his father's passing, Garrison realized that dentistry itself wasn't where his heart was; instead, what had made dentistry special was his father, without whom the practice meant nothing. His father's practice was eventually sold, and the building became an art gallery.
At Pratt Institute, Garrison did very well with sculpture and excelled above his classmates. He remained there for four years, where he graduated with a Bachelors in Fine Art for sculpture. Medill found that after college, sculpting did not provide financially the way he had hoped. He moved back in with his aunt, and in the summer following his commencement, he worked at a nearby summer camp in the Arts and Crafts department, where he'd teach kids everything from painting plaster to sewing small pillows. His enjoyment of the children led him soon after to serve the Christian Children's Fund, joining their support efforts in Indonesia for the next four years. He also communicated with branches in Korea, where efforts were directed to helping displaced children from the war. It was this experience that would perpetuate Medill's interest in politics and serving his community.
When he returned to the US, Medill was 38 years old and ready to have a family of his own. He married a waitress he met in Chicago, but they soon received an annulment after it was revealed she was married to another man as well. Her name was never mentioned again due to the embarassment he had suffered. From there on, Garrison focused solely on his political career. He went back to school and received his M.A. in American Studies from University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Feeling properly armed for political service, he joined think tank Chicago First. In the mid-1980's, Medill headed the research teams that aided Congress in its decisions on major drug legislation. Medill has worked as a consultant and organizer on a number of campaigns, including Harold Washington’s run for U.S. House of Representatives. For the past five years, Medill has served as an independent political consultant and occasional freelance reporter in small political magazines.
Currently, Medill is running to become the next Mayor of Chicago.
Sources:
"Garrison Medill Official Mayoral Webpage"

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