Paw Prints Anecdotes: John Gunther, U.S. journalist

John Gunther, Jr.
(1929–1947)

John Gunther, Jr. Anecdote...

Clifton Fadiman recalls:

John and Frances Gunther's son, Johnny, died in his eighteenth year, and was buried on July 2nd [1947]. He was a handsome, tall, fair-haired boy. He went to Deerfield Academy where he majored in mathematics and chemistry. For fourteen months he had suffered from a brain tumor for which he had had two operations. John Gunther But even after the second, he passed his examinations for Columbia. He was one of the finest, bravest boys we've ever known. After his first operation, the doctors asked John and Frances about the advisability of telling Johnny what was the matter with him. He was so intelligently interested that the doctors thought it wiser to explain, and the older Gunthers agreed. The surgeon went to Johnny alone and told him the full gravity of a brain tumor. The boy listened carefully, then looked the doctor in the eye and asked, "How shall we break it to my parents?' "

Death Be Not Proud by John Gunther [Gunther himself tells the story of Johnny's illness and death in his book "Death, Be Not Proud," 1949. It is a deeply moving memoir of a brave, intelligent, and spirited boy. You can buy the book online at Amazon.com.]