Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt’s winning charm has garnered her plenty of recognition — this time in the form of a note and flowers from President Joe Biden himself.
During his visit to Illinois last Thursday, Biden sent a bouquet of flowers to Sister Jean, the 104-year-old icon at Loyola University Chicago, as an amiable gesture to a fellow Catholic.
“Dear Sister Jean, Thinking of you during my trip to Chicago today! Keep the Faith!” Biden wrote in a note sent along with the flowers, which were purchased from a florist in Rogers Park.
Having already left for the day Thursday, Sister Jean came back to her office Friday to the surprise.
“Word got around quickly, and students, staff and faculty began to flock to her office to see her and the lovely flowers,” said Phillip Hale, Loyola University Chicago vice president of government affairs.
Sister Jean returned a thank you letter to Biden, according to Hale, but exactly what she wrote wasn’t known.
Earlier this year, Sister Jean delivered a signed copy of her book, Wake Up With Purpose: What I’ve Learned in My First Hundred Years, to Biden and first lady Jill Biden.
“But she never expected such a lovely gesture from the president,” Hale said.
The idea for the president to send flowers partially came from Sen. Dick Durbin, said the senator’s spokesperson, Emily Hampsten.
Since Durbin couldn’t make the trip with Biden last week due to Senate hearings, the president called Durbin while on his way to Illinois to check in with him and see if there’s anything he could do.
“Senator Durbin brought up Sister Jean with the president and said it would be nice if you could do something for her,” Hampsten said.
Soon after, the bouquet and note ended up on Sister Jean’s desk.
Sister Jean, who turned 104 in August, rose to fame in 2018 when the Loyola men’s basketball team shocked the country with its underdog run to the NCAA Final Four. The Rambler’s Cinderella story ended that year with a loss to Michigan, but the team chaplain’s place in Chicagoans’ hearts was secured.
