Notre Dame 2024

Normally a Friday the 13th isn’t a good omen, but this December it was the Luck of the Irish. My son Jack received news that evening at 18:42 pm (the year Notre Dame was founded) that he’s been accepted into the Class of 2024. Most of his friends were waiting with bated breath in the basement, with just the two of us and Jack’s friend Paul in the dining room, pacing anxiously. Oh the happy screams and high fives that followed at 18:43!

I can’t begin to describe how proud I am of Jack. While his academics have been quite something, it’s the rest that means so much. Best Buddies mentoring, tutoring kids at the nearby affordable housing complex, playing hockey on 2 teams for years, helping to coach hockey for kids with developmental disabilities, working since he was 14, and just being an all around compassionate, hilarious, grateful, and resilient guy. Not to mention he’s been a hugely dedicated Notre Dame football fan since kindergarten, and somehow convinced the real “Fortune” of Rudy fame to give our family a private tour of the stadium when he was 8 years old.

The original (8”x 8”, showing Jack and Clare’s little Corolla heading up Notre Dame Avenue, was under the Christmas tree for Jack. Prints can be found here, though: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/notre-dame-2024-anne-lewis.html