A Notre Dame Family’s Home

This year’s Notre Dame-Southern Cal game was to be a special occasion for the Bob Cronin family of Elmhurst, Illinois.

Bob, a 1982 Notre Dame graduate and former president of the ND Club of Chicago, was told by his old buddies from Dillon Hall that they had something special they wanted to present to the Cronin family before the USC game.

The Cronins: Beverly (SMC ’84), Maggie (ND ’09), Will (ND ’14), Bob (ND ’82), Molly (ND ’11), Kaitlin (ND ’06)

The Cronins: Beverly (SMC ’84), Maggie (ND ’09), Will (ND ’14), Bob (ND ’82), Molly (ND ’11), Kaitlin (ND ’06)

Bob figured it might have something to do with his fourth child being in his senior year at Notre Dame. Will Cronin’s three older sisters all had their degrees from ND – Kaitlin ’06, Maggie ’09, and Molly ’11. Their mom, Beverly, graduated from St. Mary’s in 1984.

Will was a standout quarterback at Immaculate Conception Catholic Prep in Elmhurst, leading his team to a state championship and being named all-Chicago Area, conference player of the year, and winner of the Wendy’s High School Heisman for Illinois. He turned down several opportunities to play football at other colleges, some Division I, to continue the family tradition of attending Notre Dame.

This season, with Everett Golson and Gunnar Kiel leaving the roster, Will was invited to join the Irish as a senior walk-on, providing added depth at quarterback. He was given jersey #13, which he immediately appreciated as the number worn by captain Knute Rockne a century ago. The defensive wearer of #13 this season, Danny Spond, chose the number to honor the victims of the 1999 shooting at his high school, Columbine in Colorado. When a serious medical condition involving migraine headaches forced Spond to retire, Will Cronin was left to carry out the #13 legacy, as one of the “red hats” — backup quarterbacks who signal in the plays.

Naturally, the entire Cronin family was extraordinarily proud of Will’s achievement and position with the Irish. None more so than his grandfather. Bob Cronin, Sr., was a 1954 graduate of St. Ignatius High School in Chicago. He became a Marine, and never graduated from college. “Because of this,” says son Bob, “He was driven to make sure his family received the best education possible.”

Bob Sr. also gave his children life lessons. “In 1968 he took me to the police barricades in Chicago after Dr. King was killed and the city exploded in violence,” Bob Jr. said. “He told me he wanted me ‘never to forget what you see. People have to learn how to get along.’”

Bob Sr. and wife Mary Ann raised Bob Jr. and five daughters. All attended grade school and high school at Immaculate Conception. All went on to Catholic higher education; in addition to Bob Jr. attending Notre Dame, four sisters went to St. Mary’s, and one to Loras College in Iowa.

“He was a huge believer in sports participation, and every one of his 30 grandchildren is an athlete,” Bob Jr. said. “He loved Notre Dame and everything about it, and was never more proud than when he saw Will (#13) run out of the tunnel.” Which he did for the Temple, Michigan State, and Oklahoma games this season.

On the Friday before the Southern Cal game, as Bob and Beverly were driving to Notre Dame for the pep rally, word came that Bob Cronin Sr. had just suffered a massive, fatal heart attack. They drove home that night, meeting Mary Ann to make the funeral arrangements. Will remained with his Notre Dame teammates, preparing for Saturday’s game “to honor Papa.”

Bob and Beverly considered their options. “Mom told us the only place we could be together as a family was to go to the game and be with Will, so we did,” Bob said.

And it was while gathered at Notre Dame that the Cronins received their surprise from Bob’s Dillon Hall friends – Number 13 jerseys for the entire family. They were moved to tears; as were Bob’s friends when they learned that Bob Cronin Sr. had died the previous day.

On Monday, October 21, the wake in Elmhurst “was gigantic, including many Notre Dame friends,” Bob Jr. noted. Many others from ND, including Alumni Association president Dolly Duffy, attended the funeral. “We received many masses,” Bob said, “including one from Father Hesburgh.”

When Will Cronin runs out of the tunnel the final two times, against Navy and BYU, he’ll feel the support of the extended Notre Dame family.

Similar to so many others before them, the Cronin family has found a home at Notre Dame, and felt its warm embrace. Whether for a “lone Norse Protestant” such as 22-year-old Knute Rockne in 1910, or a multi-generational ND family a century later, Notre Dame welcomes and nurtures those who call it home.