Taft High School Director of Technology Jeff Komada, 54, died Saturday morning after being struck by a semi-truck in a chain-reaction crash on Interstate 294. View Full Caption DNAinfo/Josh McGhee; Submitted photo

NORWOOD PARK — The funeral for a longtime Taft High School teacher killed in a chain-reaction crash after helping a woman and her 4-year-old daughter to safety will take place Saturday, school officials said.

Jeff Komada, 54, of Des Plaines, who taught math at Taft for 30 years and was the school's director of technology, died April 30 in a crash on Interstate 294. Principal Mark Grishaber said his death was a "tremendous loss" for the school, 6530 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.

Komada's wake is scheduled to take place from 3 to 9 p.m. Friday at Severino's River Woods Funeral Chapels, 205 South River Road, Des Plaines. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Emily Catholic Church, 1400 Central Road, Des Plaines, school officials said.

Students at Taft on Wednesday launched an online effort to raise $10,000 to help Komada's family cover the expenses of his funeral and burial. As of Wednesday afternoon, about $500 had been raised.

In addition, Richard Winge, the president of the Taft High School Foundation, announced Wednesday that Komada would be inducted into the William Howard Taft Hall of Fame as part of the 2016 class of inductees.

Grishaber said including Komada in the hall of fame was a "well-deserved" honor.

The chain-reaction crash that killed Komada began around 10 a.m. Saturday when a Ford Windstar minivan stalled in traffic on a rain-slicked Interstate 294 near Touhy Avenue, according to a statement from State Police, which patrols the tollway.

Komada, who was driving a Honda CRV, rear-ended the minivan. Komada's CRV was hit by a Volkswagen car driven by a 38-year-old woman who had her 4-year-old daughter in the car with her.

After Komada moved the woman and her daughter into his CRV for safety, all three vehicles were struck by a semitrailer. Komada, who was outside his car, was seriously injured, and died about an hour later after being taken to the hospital, officials said.

While the investigation is continuing, no one has been cited in connection with the crash, State Police said.

Komada is survived by his wife, Cathy; his daughters, Jacqueline and Vanessa; his parents, Robert and Nancy; and his sister, Phyllis.

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