Beloved Darien Boy Dies After Battling Rare Brain Tumor

DARIEN, IL — Joey Ventimiglia was the kind of fighter that would have made his hero, Anthony Rizzo, proud. Joey, a passionate Cubs fan and sports enthusiast, died early January 5 after battling a rare tumor in the base of his brain. "Our most beloved and cherished baby boy Joseph was rewarded the gift of eternal life," his mother, Carolyn Ventimiglia shared on Facebook. Joey was 7 years old.

As a reporter, I have encountered a number of stories, but few have stuck with me the way Joey's did. When I heard the news of his passing, I was brought to tears. He touched more lives than he could have imagined.

Joey's father, Joe, said more than 2,000 people were in attendance at his son's wake at Our Lady of Peace School and Parish, including Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey, who knew of Joey's love for flag football and also attended Joey's funeral.

Joe offered his gratitude to the church and to Andrew and Christina Brunsen from Modell Funeral Home for helping to "make such a special 2-day celebration of Joey's life."

Joey Ventimiglia was diagnosed at age 6 with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), which affects around 200 children in the U.S. annually. DIPG causes tumors to form in the glial tissue at the base of the brain. These tumors have a debilitating effect on breathing, speech, and walking.

After traveling to Mexico to receive Intra-Arterial Immunotherapy trial treatments, which are not covered by insurance, Joey was often confined to a wheelchair.

Paul Hoel, varsity baseball coach at Hinsdale South, who helped organize a special event at the school for Joey in October, told Patch that when the players rounded the bases, Joey got up out of his wheelchair and walked across "the three steps" across home base.

Joey's fighting spirit left an impact throughout Darien's close-knit community, with many people offering their heartfelt condolences. On a Facebook post via Darien Gabber, one resident responded, "So very sorry. Joey is now your special angel."

Joey's short life touched many and brought a lot of attention to DIPG, putting a face to an illness that many people had not heard of. "I never thought that Joey's purpose was to be the face of advocating for this specific disease," Carolynn Ventimiglia said in an interview with WGN.

She added, "We do hope that he can be an example of our faith and our belief in all things good."

"Hug your kids tight; things can change pretty quickly," Ventimiglia said, "And appreciate all the good that is around you."

Donations in Joey's memory may be made to the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation, which helps families who are fighting cancer.

>>Image via GoFundMe, Video courtesy of Dan D'Andrea

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