Copyright Chicago Tribune
During his lifetime, Ty Balon would turn to music as a means of expression and comfort. Balon had been diagnosed with epilepsy when he was 11 1/2. He was only 25 when he died after suffering a seizure on March 22, 2021. Crystal Soliday, Ty’s mother, has had a long association with the Duneland Family YMCA since her time growing up in Chesterton. Dave Kasarda, the Duneland YMCA’s chief executive officer, was a real estate client of Soliday’s and happened to mention that they were looking to create a music room at the Duneland YMCA’s Healthy Living Campus, which is a redevelopment of the old Chesterton High School/Middle School building site. “I thought, what a perfect opportunity to honor him,” Soliday said. Named after her son, the Ty Balon Creative Exchange + Sound Studio will be a place where youth can gather to make music. “It will bring kids together that aren’t that athletic or that think they don’t have anywhere to express themselves,” Soliday said. “It fulfills a need. We don’t have that here.” The 1,000-square-foot space on the second floor, which formerly served as the biology classroom, will include a recording studio, computers, and a stage. Front Porch Music of Valparaiso has expressed interest in offering lessons on site, and there will be enough space for musicians to practice. Matt Soliday, Crystal’s husband and Ty’s stepfather, said he has consulted with a performer and a technician on how to develop the recording studio. There will also be couches, tables and chairs where youngsters can gather. The hope is that the Ty Balon Create Exchange + Sound Studio will be open sometime next year. Those wishing to donate toward the project can go to https://www.dunelandymca.org/donate/ “It’s going to be an all-around space for the community to come together,” Crystal Soliday said.”It’s a sanctuary for kids to find their creativity, just like Ty did. My hope is that they’ll walk in here and feel inspired, empowered to create.” It will be the type of place that Balon would have enjoyed. “He was an amazing kid from the time that he was little all the way through growing up,” his mother recalled. Crystal Soliday said her son was “very compassionate” and would notice things others might overlook. Another outstanding characteristic that Balon showed was his resilience and staying positive from the time of his initial epilepsy diagnosis. “He never asked why. He never complained about it either. Never complained,” Crystal Soiliday said. Balon underwent brain surgery when he was 12 1/2. A family friend arranged afterward for Balon to have a trip, and he chose to go on a cruise that featured Christian musical groups. Balon was particularly a fan of the group Switchfoot. As time went on, Balon developed computer expertise for making digital music. Balon also excelled at photography and graphic design. He obtained an associate’s degree in graphic design from Ivy Tech. In the last years of his life, Balon deployed his dexterity with the computer to perform as DJ Talon. He would travel to Chicago, where he would put on shows. Some of the electronic dance music he created was posted on Instagram, where he had more than 10,000 followers. On one wall of the room being developed to honor Balon, there will be an enhanced graphic that he created, which shows him with musical notes and the Chicago skyline in the background. There is also a quote from Balon: “Meet me in the skylines, I will wait for you to go.” Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
