GOOD SAMARITAN MAKES JACK'S DAY

I always say it's the little things that really count. But sometimes it's the little mistakes that reveal bigger things -- or stories as is the case for folks like me -- and this time I'm glad I mis-heard an important little someone's name.

After all, I may not have ever known about last week's bigger story.

First off, let me apologize to Jack Kunkle of La Grange. Things were so noisy at the start of last week's "Lounging in La Grange" Adirondack chair auction downtown that I thought I heard his father, John Kunkle, say he was about to spend $2,500 on a chair for his son of another name.

But that's where the new story begins, when Dad was in line waiting to buy the chair -- and a miraculous gesture took place. So here it goes:

"I went up to buy the chair and the lady behind the counter said 'It's already taken care of' and, as it turns out, somebody had already paid for it for me," said Mr. Kunkle. "I have no idea who it was. I was floored, I was overwhelmed. That's all I know is I'd been told it's been taken care of."

Wow. I mean, he knew a few friends and neighbors have been aware of his family's unfortunate predicament, ever since his son Jack, now a 7th grader at Park Jr. High in La Grange Park, was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor eight months ago.

A lot of people at school and in the neighborhood knew about the 'jackkunk' link on the website, www.carepages.com which chronicles Jack's plight and treatment plans -- and some also knew about the La Grange Business Association auction Sept. 4.

"I really just went for the sole purpose of bidding on the Chicago Cubs chair and hopefully winning it," said Mr. Kunkle. "When I did, I was in a zone. I walked up to pay for it, figuring I'd stick it in the car and go home. But then this. It was just unbelievable."

He put a post on his website that night and let his and his wife's curiosity go unanswered.

"There's a side of us that says we're dying to know, but another part of us that's just gracious and feeling it was a fantastic gift," he said, adding, "Whoever did it wanted to be anonymous and that makes us feel good."

The chair, he said, is at home being enjoyed by Jack, and will likely be kept in the basement this winter. That's where Jack, his friends, his sisters -- eighth grader Emily and Lyons Township High School junior Leigh -- and their friends hang out.

"They're fantastic and his friends are the best group of friends," he added.

The Long and Winding Road...

Jack, said his father, had been really sick after the holidays earlier this year and on the morning of Friday, Jan. 18 , he woke up with an unbelievably bad headache, vomiting.

So his folks called the doctor, who suggested they have him checked out at the University of Chicago Children's Hospital. That's where a neurosurgeon told them Jack had a brain tumor, attached to his brain stem toward the rear of his head.

Three days later, Jack was operated on and after surgery, he didn't come home for a month. He spent two weeks in the hospital and another two at The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

He then underwent six weeks of radiation and is now going through chemotherapy -- which will continue until February.

"The MRIs show the surgery was successful and killed all but a little bit and radiation got the rest of it," said his father. "He's doing good. It's a horrible toll, but he has such a fantastic attitude, which helps us all through it."

Jack swims at the La Grange Field Club and with the community swim team The Lions.

He also has been active in the Theatre of Western Springs' children's program and has
earned a bit part in a Park Theatre production of "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" this November.

"(We like him doing) anything where he can be a kid again," said Dad.

Best Seat in the House...

The Cubbie blue and red chair, which spent the summer in front of Palmer Place, finds a place in the backyard of the Kunkle home just about every day.

"He loves it," Dad said of the chair. "But every night we bring it in."

And, every day, they count their blessings.

"It's unbelievable, it really is," he said. "We are all still so overwhelmed by it. What a gift."