John Alexander Bobek

John Alexander Bobek, age 53 days, entered eternity on 8 April 2020. He was born prematurely on 15 February with a congenital heart defect. He survived heart surgery but succumbed to side effects, including kidney failure and infection. John was baptized into the Catholic community on 12 March and received a final anointing on 7 April. His passing was gentle in the tender arms of his loving parents Megan O’Leary and Chris Bobek.

John had grit. He took hit after hit after hit and struggled on, far longer than his doctors conceived possible, until his tiny body simply--and finally--wore out. His fighting spirit survives, however, and is inspiration in our daily toil. He persevered, even as hope evaporated; and, though he lost the race, as we all must, his fighting spirit lives on, guiding us, until someday we join him with the Lord. John is our Lionheart.

As Easter dawns, we are reminded through Jesus that death holds no sway over our so sweet baby boy.

John Alexander is survived by those who love him: his parents Megan and Chris; his sister Sophie; his grandparents John and Helen O’Leary and Janet Carlson; his uncle Brian Bobek and aunt Katherine Eagan; his cousins Audrey and Rua; his uncle Brendan O’Leary; his cousin Nathanael; and his great aunts and uncles and cousins in lands around the world. And by nieces, nephews, and cousins yet to be. Our Lionheart is now an angel and a saint in heaven where he joins Grandfather John Bobek, Great Grandmother Elizabeth Sheridan O’Leary, and Honorary Uncle Steve Macaluso.

John is love and innocence and joy to all those blessed by his life. Our thanks and respect to the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit nurses, doctors, chaplains, and assistants at Lurie Children’s hospital who gave their utmost in supporting John and his family. Our profound thanks for the countless prayers offered on his behalf; they were not wasted. Our prayers continue to unite Saint John Alexander to us all.

“An angel in the Book of Life wrote down my baby’s birth. Then whispered as she closed the book ‘too beautiful for earth.’”

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