John Gunther Jr.
1929- 1947
Ferncliff Mausoleum
Hartsdale, New York
John Gunther Jr. was just a boy when a brain tumor ended his hopes of doing some good in this world. His father's account of his sickness and death went on to become a seminal memoir of grieving and loss. That's all I really have to say about Johnny. The book at first seems too cold and straight-forward, but it is one of the first of its kind and is memorable for the way Gunther conveys his son's optimistic character throughout the ordeal.
When he uttered that childish wish – “to do some good for the world” – he was reflecting all the gifts that had been given him, of goodness, gentleness, and warmth of spirit; he was one of those who thought earnestly that he owed the world a living, not vice versa. But he never got a chance, and the world is much the poorer for it.
-- John Gunther, “Death Be Not Proud”
No fear of Death, no fight against Death, no enmity toward Death, friendship with Death as with Life. That is – Death for myself, but not for Johnny, God, not yet. He’s too young to miss all the other parts of Life, all the other lovely living parts of Life. All the wonderful, miraculous things to do, to feel, to see, to hear, to touch, to smell, to taste, to experience, to enjoy. What a joy Life is. Why does no one talk of the joy of Life? Shout, sing, write of the joy of Life?
–Frances Gunther, Johnny's mother
The title of John Gunther's book about his son is the opening line from John Donne's Holy Sonnet X. His son's epitaph are that poem's final words...
Unbeliever’s Prayer
Almighty God
forgive me for my agnosticism;
For I shall try to keep it gentle, not cynical,
nor a bad influence.
And O!
if Thou art truly in the heavens,
accept my gratitude
for all Thy gifts
and I shall try
To fight the good fight.
Amen.
--John Gunther, Jr. May, 1946
I read this book for a book report, and I loved it!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt made me cry at the end.
I have read this book many times, and each time I read it, I get something new out of it. I have also watched the TV movie based on this book, and it is well made, nothing overdramatic about it.
ReplyDeleteI read "Death be not Proud" when I was in high school maybe back in 1970 or so. It has had a profound lasting effect on me and now, over forty years later, I still sometimes think about John Gunther Jr. Tonight is one of those times. A story about the goodness and brilliance of a child, his struggle with brain cancer and his ultimate death all while keeping his spirits up and rarely descending into despair. He lived in his short life the way we all should live. He fought the good fight.
ReplyDeleteI remember reading the book in high school, and having tears in my eyes throughout. What a cruel irony in 2006, when my 12 yo son was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He died almost two years later. Very sad, and I'll never get over it...
ReplyDeleteIm so sorry to hear about your loss, my son was only three days old when he passed, no mom should know such a loss
DeleteThere is no God Johnny. No loving Creator would have done such a thing. Rest in peace my dear son. Yes, the world is truly poorer for not having witnessed your life to its full potential.
DeleteRemember this, there is a God, one God, he is the author of everything... He is a loving God too. He sent someone named Jesus, his one and only son to live here a short while too-- Don't forget, and he, Jesus died on the cross so that if all of God's creation were to believe in him, then we ALL would have the eternal share in heaven that we all know we do not deserve on our own merit. God's having created everything means just that... Everything. All emotion, all the food and drink, all the joy, allow the sadness. All the sinful behaviors we can pick up and indulge in here on earth for a time... until we would come to our senses and realize that we need to put those things down, and follow him. Because he is infinite ( and we are not) his gift of eternal life with him makes us infinite and perfectly clean when we die. Do you not think that this one and only God who loves all of us equally didn't have something so wonderful planned for Johnny when he departed from here the way he did? Johnny's enduring the suffering that he did for the time he did was mercifully brought to a close. Johnny went on to live with the Lord forever. Those that remained in sadness and anger had the time remaining for them to figure things out for themselves, and reconcile these things before God, and then in their time, come to the Lord for their salvation so that when they died, they would be in heaven forever with Johnny. That is all about eternal joy, nothing less, friend!!
DeleteMerry Christmas Johnny! If there's truly a heaven, then you're there with Einstein discussing the next scientifc breakthrough:) Rest in peace my dear son.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving Johnny. Never forgotten and always an inspiration.
ReplyDeletei'm 12 and i read this book a couple of months ago. when i finished reading it i wondered if modern treatments could have saved him. Does anyone know? Rest in Peace Johnny you were too young.
ReplyDeleteSeventy years on, the prognosis is still not good. //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5910607/
DeleteGloblasytma forme has a poor prognosis. I have a friend currently diagnosed with it. Fifteen months is about the length of time a patient with this cancer has. Very sad.
DeleteMerry Christmas again my dear son. Another year and still thinking about what you could have done if not for your bad break. Life can be cruel and short with no rhyme nor reason. Continue to rest in power and peace be with you. ��
ReplyDeleteAnother year and still no answers why your life was so short Johnny. Such a beautiful soul with so much promise who didn't deserve such a bad break. God, please help us to understand your plan and will. Seems, at times, so unfair for such good people to suffer so much. If you are truly all-powerful, why does this happen? Why, oh why?
ReplyDeleteI read Death Be Not Proud when I was in high school in 1970. I was seventeen, Johnny's age when Death took him, and I was moved beyond words. I read the book many times and wept. The movie was a tribute. Years later my son Timothy, a Marine home from his third tour, was diagnosed with the Johnny started with, an astrocytoma. What irony!! It was removed at Walter Reed, and, almost twenty years later, he is a husband and father of four beautiful children. I have to believe Johnny might have lived with modern technology. His story still moves me to tears. The things he could have accomplished!
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