Feb. 1, 2001

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — A funeral Mass for Scott Delgadillo (pronounced dell-guh-DEE-oh), the 14-year-old from San Diego whose battle with leukemia inspired the Notre Dame football team and University alumni and friends worldwide, will be celebrated at 3:30 p.m. Monday (Feb. 5) at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on campus. Visitation will take place from 1-3 p.m. in the Basilica’s Lady Chapel.

Delgadillo died Monday night after a yearlong battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A funeral Mass will be celebrated in his hometown Saturday, then, in accordance with Scott’s wishes, his family will accompany his body to South Bend for the Mass at Notre Dame. They will return Tuesday to San Diego for burial.

The Delgadillo family came to Notre Dame in September on a trip sponsored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The visit included tickets to the Irish football game against Purdue, a tour of the campus and the nearby College Football Hall of Fame, and private meetings with Notre Dame’s president, Rev. Edward A. Malloy, C.S.C., and Irish football coach Bob Davie.

In the course of their meeting, Davie asked Scott to speak at the Sept. 15 pep rally for the Purdue game, where his impromptu message of courage and determination inspired members of the football team as well as the 12,000 fans in attendance. As word of his story spread, Notre Dame alumni and supporters across the country and around the world became equally inspired by Scott and subsequently sent him messages of encouragement as well as gifts and donations.

Six members of the Notre Dame football team — Shane Walton, Joey Getherall, Rocky Boiman, Grant Irons, Anthony Weaver and Sean Milligan — have been asked by the Delgadillo family to serve as pallbearers.

Local arrangements are being handled by Kaniewski Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be sent to the Cox Kids’ Foundation, Scott Delgadillo Fund, c/o San Diego Foundation, P.O. Box 81107, San Diego, Calif., 92138.