Sister Jean — Loyola’s Guardian Angel — Goes Home to Heaven’s Sideline

Man, when I think about Sister Jean, I can’t help but smile. You talk about purpose, peace, and perseverance?

That woman was the definition of all three.

She lived 106 years on this earth and never wasted a day of it.

While most people slow down in their 80s, Sister Jean was just getting started, hitting March Madness like she was a five-star recruit out of heaven.

When Loyola-Chicago shocked the world in 2018, Sister Jean became bigger than the bracket itself.

Everybody had their team, but let’s be real, we were all secretly rooting for the Ramblers because of her. She gave the whole country something pure to cheer for in a world full of chaos.

And it wasn’t just about basketball.

She had that energy, that light, that grandma-that-don’t-miss-Sunday-service spirit.

The way she prayed for both teams before every game — come on, that’s different. Even the haters had to respect that.

When you hit 98 and are still moving through March like you’re on a mission from God, that’s legacy.

And she didn’t fade away after the Final Four, either. She was still emailing coaches, giving scouting reports, and breaking down stats like a hoop-nerd nun with Wi-Fi.

I love it.

To me, Sister Jean showed the world that joy doesn’t have an age limit. She wasn’t chasing fame — fame found her because purpose was already on her.

So yeah, the news of her passing hits hard, but there’s also this peace about it. She lived a full-court life — no timeouts, no regrets.

And I can just picture it right now: Sister Jean up there in the Upper Room, courtside next to the angels, rocking her Loyola jacket, saying, “Play hard, play together, play smart.”

Rest easy, Sister Jean.

You made the game and the world, a better place.