Geneva boy recalled for joy, faith in midst of difficulties
Fourteen-year-old Russell Witek packed a lot of laughter and joy into a short life filled with debilitating illness.
Whether it was playing games on Wii, attending summer camp with other children who had cancer, or mowing a lawn with his mom, he made the most of his life.
Russell, of Geneva, died Sunday at Children's Memorial Hospital as a result of a malignant recurrent brain tumor.
Russell liked to serve others, believing that was the way to show love to them, as part of his Christian faith, said his uncle, Gregory Witek. He might mow a yard, clean a house, or go on mission trips with members of his church, Christ Community, in St. Charles. "The only thing that ever kept Russell down was physically not being able to participate. And I don't mean physically 'not feeling like it.'" I mean being connected to tubes or bags or machines or confined to the hospital. If he was free of these things, he was in the game," Witek said.
"His relationship with, and understanding of, Jesus was deep."
The tumor was his second go-round with cancer. He had leukemia when he was 4, and spent two years treating it. In 2007, he was diagnosed with the brain tumor. He underwent three surgeries and chemotherapy.
He was known for his love of the Cubs and for practical jokes. With the help of a nurse last summer, he ambushed other hospital staff members, squirting them with water from a large syringe.
He and his mom, Karen, volunteered to mow the lawn at church, then would ride in a golf cart. "I'd say a prayer and let him drive. We'd careen through the empty parking lot on a joy ride," she said, the two of them singing the "Olé, olé, olé" soccer celebration song. Russell played soccer from kindergarten through third grade.
Russell had lately become friends with the Northwestern University soccer team through a program that matches children with brain tumors and collegiate or high school teams. Players visited him and Russell attended some games. The team's inspiration award is being renamed in his honor.
Visitation is from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday followed by a service at 1 p.m. at Christ Community Church, Randall and Bolcum roads. The service will be Webcast live at conleycare.com. An ice cream social will follow in the youth group Hub facility. Burial is private.
Memorial donations can be made to Camp One Step at a Time of Chicago; Camp Sunshine of Casco, Maine; Children's Memorial Hospital of Chicago; the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society; Living Well Cancer Resource Center of Geneva; Ronald McDonald House of Chicago; or the Russell Witek Leukemia Fund, 643 McKinley Ave., Geneva, IL 60134.