"My father grew up going to Notre Dame football games all the time. We've had tickets in the family for over fifty years now. My dad's father had an eighth grade education. The pride of his life was that his son went to Notre Dame. Dad got in, went here, graduated Aerospace. And then he moved to Chicago and got a law degree. My sisters and I came back for literally every home game with Dad. The University was a central part of my father's identity.
"Dad was accepted into Arts and Letters initially, and moved to Engineering, so he graduated in five years. At the end of his fifth year, he wanted to apply to the law school at Notre Dame. He spoke to the dean of the law school, who said, 'Your LSATs look great. Your grades are great. But I think you need to try something else and expand your world beyond this place.' So Dad applied to Northwestern Law, got in, and went there. He would never have done that if anybody outside of Notre Dame had suggested it. But he considered it, and ended up doing it, because he was encouraged by a member of the Notre Dame community.
"When my acceptance letter came in, as Dad's oldest child, he cried. When he applied, this was the only place he ever wanted to go. And he wanted to at least give his children that opportunity. So to see that dream come to fruition was moving for him. Ultimately, all three of his daughters went. And that was a bookend on his relationship with Notre Dame: he fought for it, he went here, and his kids had a chance to do the same.
"He died of a heart attack this past March unexpectedly, running on the treadmill. He long ago got a niche at Cedar Grove and knew he wanted to be buried there. There was nowhere else for him. So our family gathered this weekend, went to the Log Chapel, had a reception in the Oak Room, and went to the football game. This is Dad's home. So this weekend has been about bringing him home."