Congressman James Comer highlighting the death of Illinois woman Katie Abraham at the hands of an illegal drunken driver in January 2025.

A Broken Father, a Broken Nation

By John Kass

August 13, 2025

The other day I did something I haven’t done in quite a while: Interview a victim of political violence.

This is his story. His name is Joe Abraham. He’s from Glenview, a suburb of Chicago. His father was an immigrant from Iraq.

Joe’s daughter Katie Abraham, 20, was killed in January 2025 while sitting in a car at a stoplight in Urbana, Illinois. She was with three of her friends, visiting.

The drunken driver who slammed into the rear of her car came here illegally from Guatemala, one of the 20 million plus illegals invited by Joe Biden Democrats to invade the U.S. so that illegals could be counted in the U.S. Census to boost Democrat numbers for Congressional districts.

The drunk driver’s name is Julio Cucul Bol, 29. He slammed into the other car at the stoplight, going 78 miles-per-hour.

Katie was killed instantly, and another girl died the next day. One survivor is suffering numerous broken bones, including vertebrae. Bol ran off and was later arrested in Texas, posing as a Mexican, about to enter that country.

He’s alive but the Abraham family is paying with a death sentence.

“He’s alive. And we’re in some type of numbness that won’t end,” he said of his family. “It’s our death sentence.”

For all the words of some politicians, all the words of journalists, and the prayers of the holy men, the criminal taking a child’s life imposes an unappealable death sentence on the survivors.

There is no “closure.”  There is no ending. The pain won’t end until the grave.

“Yeah, I think absolutely Katie would be with me here today if it wasn’t for these awful policies of Joe Biden, and the Democrats but I just don’t want to blame Joe Biden alone,” Abraham said. “I think we all know Joe Biden really did not know what’s going on, so it was sort of the powers behind the throne that was doing this. But yeah, I also to put some responsibility on Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his fellow Democrats.”

Joe and Katie’s stepmother Michelle were present at the Congressional Oversight committee hearing. He sat right behind Pritzker.

And Pritzker didn’t turn to acknowledge him. Joe didn’t want that. He wanted clarity, not empty speeches.


“We were at the Oversight Committee and there were many inconsistencies with what he was saying,” Abraham told me. “He has done this; he put out a welcome back that says no matter what your status we will protect you we are sanctuary you are safe here.

“Do you not think that’s a magnet for people to come and abuse that border and our country? I think it’s Joe Biden’s administration and yes do I think it’s JB Pritzker and his Democratic allies. If there was just a little bit of audit, a little bit of vetting Julio Cucul Bol would not have been in this country or in this state and unfortunately, I’m not the only victim here or person that’s suffering and that’s even more unfortunate.

“I want to stop this going forward no one should have to go through with me and my family are going through right now. JB Pritzker didn’t take the time to muster up even one word to me, and look, I’m not looking for an
“I’m sorry,” I don’t want Katie to be collateral damage, just a stat…maybe I would have liked them to say hey Joe it’s very unfortunate things got out of control we’re trying to get things figured out and we’re sorry this happened. But there was nothing like that, it was just silence.”

But it was in that silence, the silence of the grave, where truth could be found.

President Donald Trump took time to talk to Joe Abraham like a man, like a father. But J.B. Pritzker didn’t approach, nor did the other Illinois Democrats at the hearing.

“There’s no due process that we got–either one of us–this Julio Bol and JB and the whole group of politicians…they were judge, jury and executioner for me and Katie because she’s dead well they would say you’re not dead. But I’m suffering the rest of my life is what my life will never be the same I’m in a lifestyle it’s this is not how my life was supposed to end. We did have a social contract, but they failed us.

“I have a life sentence now I have to live with this rest of my life without with my little girl.”

For years you have been asking about the why of the Democrats and the Biden White House allowing the alien invaders into America.

It seemed so random, without reason, and we grasp at reasons and so many Angel Parents mourn their dead.

The hundreds of thousands now who’ve been poisoned by fentanyl. And all those young women raped and tortured and trafficked and destroyed by illegal immigrants.

Young women like 22-year-old nursing student Laken Reilly and Jocelyn Nungaray, 12. And Katie Abraham, 20. And so many, many more.

But they all were collateral damage to Democrat policy. The millions upon millions of illegals, many given public assistance by American taxpayers were allowed to cross illegally into the United States for two reasons:

To replace troublesome (i.e., “independent minded” Americans) opposed to the Deep State.

And to provide enough numbers in the U.S. Census to protect the population loss in deep blue Democrat districts and states, Illinois being one of these.

Why did they and their loved ones have to suffer?

For political power for the Democrats, to boost the numbers of the U.S. Census in Democrat districts—with taxpayers shelling out for welfare and other enticements to lure the illegals over.

That is why if you suggest the truth of it, they will scream like mad banshees on the defensive and turn up their media megaphones to shout you down.

It’s all about their power and protecting their power.

And in a broken nation that has been broken on the altar of Democratic Power politics, a good and decent American, a broken father, thinks of his child. He’ll be thinking of Katie Abraham, long after Joe Biden and the Biden Crime Family,  J.B. Pritzker and all the other mealy mouthed politicos are long gone.

There are no words for this father’s loss.

You can hear the parents’ words in this video link.  But you can’t hear hear Katie.  She’s gone.

 

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About the author: John Kass spent decades as a political writer and news columnist in Chicago working at a major metropolitan newspaper. He is co-host of The Chicago Way podcast. And he just loves his “No Chumbolone” hat, because johnkassnews.com is a “No Chumbolone” Zone where you can always get a cup of common sense.

Merchandise Now Available: If you’re looking for a gift for that hard-to-buy for special someone who has everything, just click on the link to the johnkassnews.com store.

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Comments 42

  1. Thank you John for a great article. So sad that we have come to this. The Liberals and the Press want Votes, and they do not seem to care about our Country and the values, and morals we grew up with. So sad that I gave up so called friends that gossip and do not want to know the truth. Keep up the good work and keep on telling the truth. They will all pay some day. So sad.

  2. Haven’t we all become collateral damage of not necessarily violence, but just political nonsense itself.? Not playing victim mentality like the left likes to use, but just feeling pushed aside and frankly humiliated having odd beliefs, warped ideologies and evil agendas forced down our throats. The voting disappointments in the resulting con jobs by Barack Obama, JB Pritzker, Rham Emanuel and frankly just about anyone with a (D) after their name these days. And the worst part, the idiots that continue to vote for this crap.

    There is a chance for people to make a statement. DO NOT let Pritzker get reelected ! Anything and everything needs to be done to ensure he does not get another term. Getting this done would have 2 rewards, 2 salvations – not just here, in this state, but it would probably also end any pipe dream this scumbag would have of ever being President.

  3. Nothing points out the moral and ethical bankruptcy of the Democrat Party than this article. The life of an American citizen and the grief of her family is meaningless to the Democrats, because there are millions of illegal votes to be harvested. To the Democrats, Katie was just collateral damage, as shown by Governor Money Bags. This morally bankrupt slimebag wants to be president? He cares more about his toilets in his mansion and his tax breaks than the people of Illinois or all Americans for that matter. However, if you are illegally in this country, that’s a different story.

  4. Just this weekend in Stephenson county another fatal crash occurred involving another illegal immigrant. I hope everyone who’s vote was purchased by the dems (and combine members) in one form or another starts to see the bigger picture and realize their role in all of this.

    Thanks John.

  5. They found my son Matthew overdosed under a viaduct on the far northside of Chicago about five years ago, dope laced with fentanyl. His heart had stopped and his kidneys shut down. By the grace of God the first responders brought him back to life, and he then spent over a month in intensive care under dialysis. Additionally, he lost feeling and use of his right leg. It has been a long grueling struggle for him to regain mobility, first with a wheel chair, then crutches, now a limp. He is currently in a nursing home at age thirty one. In the intensive care unit I placed a nice Rosary on his headboard, this being Chicagoland it got swiped within a few days, is nothing sacred, no! For me, it is personal not theoretical. The Demorats are the personification of evil.

      1. Thanks much John for your blessed pleading, believe me that we are truly blessed and gifted by our loving Savior as a family including Matthew’s sister who is autistic. I would not trade places with anyone in the world, and these two children of mine are an example of God’s love and mercy and demonstrate His majesty.

        1. John I did not want to sound like the “Queen for a Day woe is me. My gift is that my son is alive, for I have fiends whose sons are not. As long as they are alive there is hope. I bring my son home on weekends and our family enjoy the presciousness of life together, life is not a vale of tears but an opportunity. Where there is life there is hope. My deepest and sincere sympathy to the Abraham family.

  6. YUp , John , Biden didn’t know about this , not much . This was Obama , the kind of thing that Trickster thrives on . This migrant invasion was Obama . BTW , how’s his Library doing ? All the trees cut down and the grass dug up for that eyesore .

  8. Mr K.

    John as a parent I can only imagine what the Abraham family and other s in similar situations are going thru. Tragic deaths upon innocent souls only because of political realities, preventable had the laws of this once great nation been followed.

    All I can do is pray for the repose of the souls, and the loving families.

    Sadly my only option is to continue to vote, but not enough of us Americans vote or care anymore.

  9. Thank you John. I just had my big ahhh haaaa moment. The redistricting fight is about taking back our country. The Biden crew strategically placed all these illegals in sanctuary cities to boost the numbers. FINALLY the Republicans seem to be fighting back. I just hope they succeed. I appreciate your well written column!

  10. They simply don’t care about us. I don’t know what’s worse, the dismissive indifference adopted by democrat politicians for the people they are supposed to represent in pursuit of their own power, or liberals who keep voting for them because they suffer from blindness caused by misguided, misinformed empathy. So thank you for helping to expose the, truth, the reality of the illegal immigrant problem.

    Unfortunately, I fear the average white liberal suburban democrat voter believes everyone in the world is like them; generally helpful, generous, friendly (except perhaps to MAGAs), law-abiding people. They envision illegal immigrants as church going moms struggling to make better lives for their waif-like, well mannered children. They ignore the fact that, even if that were the case, which it largely is not, that struggling mother consciously chose to break the law. I’ll tell you what, I could make a better life for my children by robbing a bank. You could too. It would work out great for us, right up until point we got thrown in jail.

  11. Important column, difficult to read, difficult to bear.

    Kass precisely describes the political calculations of the Obama axis’ open borders strategy, but his account extends beyond those calculations. To encompass all the barbarity, obsession with power, and contempt for innocent citizens of open borders, Kass wisely focuses on the enormous public embarrassment of Pritzker, his “sanctuary” state, his values.

    It’s not enough to identify these Democrats as extreme leftists or political hypocrites. The word for them is “evil.”

  12. My heart breaks for them. I have lost a daughter, too, but not this way.
    This started a long time back during the Quinn administration when Rahm and friends smuggled in some illegals from South America and they were taken in with open arms and undisclosed locations.
    That was the trial, and it worked for Obama and company through his three terms to open the borders.
    Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  13. Dear Mr Kass,

    Thank you for this heart-rending essay. In minute detail, as befits your vocation as a real reporter, you reveal the human suffering engendered by the cynical open borders policy of the Obama-Biden Democrats. My prayers and condolences go out to the Abraham family.

    But this suffering extends beyond individual victims and their families to a degraded polity that affects all citizens, especially in Leftist “sanctuary” enclaves like Illinois, California, and New York.

    I am a birthright Democrat, who grew up with JFK and came to political maturity in the McGovern-Shriver campaign in 1972. I was an elected official in Pennsylvania in the 1980s, a party fundraiser, and political operative. In the Democratic Party hijacked by today’s Leftists, it is safe to say that neither JFK nor McGovern would be nominated today. As Ronald Reagan said, “I didn’t leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me.”

    Your analysis of the reasoning behind the Leftist policy of open borders is exactly right. I salute President Trump for calling this out, and forcing a reckoning of the Democrat’s dirty little secret of inflated blue state Census data juicing its representation in Congress. Let us see what a mid-decade Census tabulation, omitting illegal aliens, demonstrates as to the inflationary effect on the populations of places like Illinois, California, and New York.

    Mr Kass, your work is a continuing example of the exemplary product of a reporter who follows the story wherever it leads. Keep it up!

  14. This heartbreaking report is the tip of the iceberg, and that portion of the 20 million invaders have yet to leave their own imprint in loss, blood and grave. Under the umbrella spread for them by the power mad Marxist Democrats and their media lackeys, what consequences are they to fear?
    The Left loves their hyphens. The Guatemalan aliens that killed Ms. Abraham, and the August 9th fatality in Stephenson County were “Pritzker-Guatemalans”.

  15. Terrible tragedy for the Abraham Family and too many other Families.
    Yes, a little auditing and vetting might have prevented Katie’s death.
    Ordinary Americans are not collateral damage, we are not invisible.
    God Bless Katie’s Dad and Family – keep on fighting!

  16. In the sci-fi film ” The Terminator ” the Reese character explains John Conner. “.. John Conner taught us to fight…not get exterminated..”. Donald Trump is the real life John Conner. He is feared because he is a movement not just a person. He represents someone who finally says ” I’ve had enough and I’m not taking it anymore”. The Republicans have been taking the BS from the Democrats for years since they would often be labeled racists by the media allies of the Democrats. Not anymore. Trump has taught us to fight. Stand for something or fall for nothing. The latest media manufactured crises has to with Texas redistricting. I’m here in a suburb of Houston and believe me, NO ONE HERE CARES. No demonstrations. No riots. Nothing. Trump has taken a preemptive strike knowing the Democrats were going to do the same. He beat them to the punch. It’s time to fight. After the persecution Trump and his family have endured in the last four years he’s taken the kid gloves off. No more mister nice guy. No fear. Most of the RINOS are gone. Trumps return to the presidency has enabled new Republicans to take office to support his policies. This is what we need. Trump is feared by the globalists since he represents a movement. This is spreading worldwide with Europe starting to rise and throw the globalists out. Trump taught us how to fight and this movement is getting stronger.

  17. My empathy and sympathy from afar in Florida for Katie’s Dad,stepmom and friends. I voted for Biden,Harris and Obama. I understand the damage Biden allowed to happen with open border wink wink policies in 2021. My wife voted for Trump. I can never trust him but many of us Democrats are ashamed of Biden’s lack of action on immigration.Big Sigh. Great story….

  18. Yianni,
    I cannot imagine the heartache the Abraham family must feel. I know I’m old fashioned about alot of things, but should a tragedy like this ever befall me, I know what must be done, in light of the lack of prosecution or punishment for crimes by our sanctuary leftists. Track the perp down – no matter how long – and make his short life a miserable living hell, but that’s just me. I pray each night for all victims of violence and terrorism in the world, and for your health so you’ll continue to enlighten us with your wordsmithing and common sense. Theos na vali to xeri tou…..

  19. Funny JB Pritzker who family is protected by Illinois State Police when out of state, doesn’t have the decency to acknowledge a father loss of his daughter. JB wants to be president and can’t even handle the simple human gesture.
    Lot of Illinois taxpayers money going to illegal aliens as the State of Illinois reduced spending on taxpayers programs.

  20. As coroner of Lake County, Illinois I had to talk to families of lost loved ones. But the hardest to talk to were parents of children that overdosed. A tragic, difficult to understand death. Drugs here are protected by certain elements of law enforcement, judiciary, and States Attorney office. G. I. Joe Gliniewicz was caught stealing from an explorers account. When I investigated further and found out he was involved with drug trade AND selling weapons to gangs of the area no one in law enforcement would touch it. Too many politicians here were getting a cut in transactions. Then the corrupt Fox Lake government awarded the fat gut Mrs Gliniewicz, who was fully involved in crime with her hubby, a full pension. But only after the midget Democrat States Attorney, Eric Reinfart, dropped the 15 charges against her to one minor charge.
    Finally, our jail is named after a man who was coroner and sheriff at one time. He picked the drugs up at Waukegan Airport and then distributed it to the dealers.
    Corruption has not stopped since I left. The current Lake County states attorney had an assistant states attorney in charge of ethics (!) who was an opioid addict. This addict gave some of his drugs to his car mechanic, who then became addicted and died of drug use. That is a mandatory autopsy. But this states attorney with help of corrupt coroner (Banek) did not do a post so as not to do an investigation and prosecution of this states attorney. When this was reported to local feds and FBI: NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE!

  21. Great column, brings it all right home. Also a terrific concrete illustration of the silent spaces. What Democrats don’t say, says more about them than what they do. Took me while but I see it well now. Thanks Mr. Kass! As always

  22. All most everyone who writes in this thread wants JB gone. But he is not alone. Everyone of the 17 democrats who hold house seats, plus Durbin, who is retiring, Thank God, and Tammy Duckworth have to go to. My personal favorite is Kwame Rauol, the Attorney General of Illinois. This clown who states this is my life’s work, except when in comes to Antifa, BLM and all the rioters in Chicago, the illegals living in and around Chicago, crime every where, but allows sanctuary status in Chicago and Illinois, and the wholesale slaughter of unborn innocents, and lastly, the genital mutilation of under age children at hospitals in Chicago has to go!

    But, what is the alternative? The GOP in Illinois is nonexistent. Who is going to run for governor and other elected offices? The GOP has Adam Kinzinger, Joe Walsh, Jim Durkin and who else? These RINO’s at best are useless. The stable consists of three congressman, who no one has ever heard of. Is it hopeless? I think so.

    Every time a state considers reapportionment, if the GOP is in control. the leftists are in court fighting the maps. Why has not the GOP been to court to fight the disproportion seen in Illinois? In the last election, 40 % voted Republican, but only have 17% of congressman. That is criminal.

    Are there any Republicans in this state. I fear most have left the state for Red States.

    HELP!

    1. Harry,
      Take heart, a few of us are still here, like most of John’s readers, thank God!!! We shall continue to do our best to cancel out every leftist/socialist vote, but it’s a daunting task!

  23. This column made me so sad. I actually cried. It’s every parents’, or in my case, grandparents’ worst nightmare. I’m glad they caught the drunk driver. But it won’t bring the lovely girls back or heal the injured ones. I am so sorry for their loss, but those words are not enough.

  24. I called it “voter packing” right from the beginning. Dems stacking the cards with millions of people coming for free stuff who will, in turn, vote for the socialist democrats so they get more free stuff.

  25. Thank you for this. It should be in every left wing newspaper in the country but we know it won’t. Because they’re as corrupt as the Democrats who created this death cult of illegal immigration.

  26. After decades of killing their future voters in the womb, they desperately needed the illegals to fill the void. Any party that celebrates the killing of millions of babies certainly couldn’t care less about Katie’s murder. For them it’s a numbers game and the net gain by keeping the illegals here is worth it.

  27. Great article John! Prayers for the Abraham family of the loss of a precious daughter. I had the great privilege to work with and know a young Army veteran (82nd Airborne) police officer. His name was Michael Gordon, and he was one of the best that law enforcement can produce. A father of two children, and son from a police family, was working the midnight shift in the Fillmore District when he was killed by an illegal alien in August 2004. This illegal was drunk, drove thru a red light at Sacramento and Fillmore, and killed Michael and badly injured his partner. The illegal had no drivers license and of course no insurance.

    Mike was known by his colleagues as “Super Cop”. An aggressive but compassionate officer who was liked and more importantly respected by his peers. Mike originally was a Riverside Police officer who wanted more intense police work and left to work with CPD. I tried to dissuade him but his goal was always to be a CPD officer.

    I received a 5 AM phone call from his distraught mother who was screaming and crying . “They killed my son! They killed my son!. Apparently, no one at the Fillmore station would tell her anything about what happened. I found out what had happened and called back to talk to her husband who was an Assistant Chief of Police in Riverside. I cried at his funeral and am not ashamed to say it. Such a waste! Mike’s father retired from Riverside PD early as a result of this tragedy.

    That was my introduction into illegal aliens causing death and destruction up close and personal.
    There are literally thousands of similar stories of other bereaved families who Mr Pritzker and other have turned their backs on. David Bittinger rightfully called these soulless politicians evil.

  28. There are too many cases of “collateral damage” and sadly, the collective uniformed or uncaring voters continue to elect the power hungry politicians. Sad cases like this will continue because illegal criminals continue to infect our nation. We pray for all the families like the Abraham family.

  29. First, John, please keep up the column and the work. My heart goes out to the Abraham family, and I wil pray for all of them and the others similarly affected. This tragic story is accompanied by political commentary, which, perhaps at first thought, is something that does not belong, but upon short reflection, the democrat evil (no upper case letters for these people). Several commenters pointed toward political corruption protecting these evil people. I have NO doubt that some of the corrupt are Republicans, but I have to day that dems raise their evil corruption to a high art form. They are professionals!! I too lament the lack of a republican party in Illinois. It was not too ling ago there was GOP strength with Jim Thompson and Jim Edgar. They were not perfect but were, at least, honorable people. I hope someone has the courage to mount a campaign, and that smart people, even dems, fight against this evil. Thank God for the work president Trump is doing.

  31. Rosary in hand for the Jennings and Abraham families. Thank you, John, for bringing these realities to light.
    Are votes and party allegiances worth the endless grief? Heartbreaking

  33. I cried reading this. My heart breaks for families who have lost a loved one to senseless violence, open boarders, and cities who protect these people.
    It’s all about the power and keeping that power that has overshadowed all else.
    I always say God is watching and his judgment is final.
    Thank you.

  34. The 160 democratic party Nay sayers should be tried for treason and banished from this land, even if Trump has to announce a National State of Emergency and which he should have done at the end if his 1st Presidency and banished Obama and Biden.

  35. So many of us here are good at wringing our hands, saying a proper prayer for the families of those who lose loved ones to this criminal insanity; we get irate enough to stir the spaghetti sauce so hard it spills on the stove – whatever your ‘outlet’ is – but what are we doing to let the world see what John has laid before us in such a coherent, well-written way? It can get to be just like spinning the Lazy Suzan full of salad dressing in the middle of the table….big circles.

    Today I took part of the article, credited John for his always EXCELLENT writing, and made it as personal as I could for the people of Illinois – calling out our local Congressional reps, reminding my friends and neighbors YOU VOTED FOR THIS!!! Example: Sean Casten, IL-6. Just 3 years ago, Casten lost his 17 year old daughter to “cardiac arrest”. He says she had been in excellent health. Many of the neighbors offered their deep sympathy at the loss of a young lady. Apparently other folks losing their children at the hands of these disgusting thugs doesn’t affect Mr. Casten like I would have thought it might. Anyway, here’s what I wrote and posted to FACEBOOK today – trying to spread the word beyond John’s circle of influence…..
    Karen Sherman Bushy

    This is the story of Joe Abraham. He’s from Glenview, a suburb of Chicago. His father was an immigrant from Iraq.
    Joe’s daughter Katie Abraham, 20, was killed in January 2025 while sitting in a car at a stoplight in Urbana, Illinois. She was with three of her friends, visiting.
    The drunken driver who slammed into the rear of her car came here illegally from Guatemala, one of the 20 million plus illegals invited by Joe Biden Democrats to invade the U.S. so that illegals could be counted in the U.S. Census to boost Democrat numbers for Congressional districts.
    The drunk driver’s name is Julio Cucul Bol, 29. He slammed into the other car at the stoplight, going 78 miles-per-hour.
    Katie was killed instantly, and another girl died the next day. One survivor is suffering numerous broken bones, including vertebrae. Bol ran off and was later arrested in Texas, posing as a Mexican, about to enter that country.
    He’s alive but the Abraham family is paying with a death sentence.
    “He’s alive. And we’re in some type of numbness that won’t end,” he said of his family. “It’s our death sentence.”
    In June of this year, 160 Democrats VOTED AGAINST A BILL TO GET RID OF THESE MONSTERS! The bill was to allow deportation of illegal immigrants found guilty of drunk driving. ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY DEMOCRATS said NO!!! They’re more than happy to protect these scum-bags. WHY????
    The quoted article is from columnist John Kass, formerly with the Chicago Tribune. He continues to write and comment on the state of our society today…..including this disgusting situation.
    A quick run-down of the list of those who voted – – -These Democrats voted “no” – which means they voted to ALLOW ILLEGALS TO STAY IN THE COUNTRY EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE ARRESTED FOR DRUNK DRIVING!!! Including my Congressman – Sean CASTEN – Illinois 6. A father himself, lost a young daughter….but this is obviously all OK with him. DIS-GUST-ING!!!!
    Budzinski, Casten, Davis, Foster, Garcia, Jackson (Not voting), Kelly, Krishnamoorthi, Quigley, Ramirez, Underwood. I’m guessing one of them is YOUR Congressperson.

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