Seeing the Light: Celebrating Michael’s Life at Misericordia 
by Mei-Ying and S.Y. Chen
2026 marks a meaningful milestone for our son, Michael: his 10th anniversary at Misericordia. Over the past decade, Misericordia has become more than a home—it has blossomed into a vibrant community where Michael has flourished, found lasting friendships and joy, and developed a deeper sense of belonging and independence.
To honor this special occasion, we published a memoir, Seeing the Light: Raising a Child with Autism—A Family’s Journey. The book traces Michael’s journey from birth to adulthood, highlighting the many remarkable people, programs, schools, and organizations that guided and supported him.
Spanning eight chapters, the memoir details each stage of Michael’s development and life experience. It opens with his birth, the discovery of his developmental challenges, and his eventual diagnosis of autism. We recount the hurdles our young family faced in seeking medical guidance, educational services, and appropriate support, and reflect on the many individuals and organizations who offered encouragement, expertise, and practical help along the way.
A Tale of Two Families 
by Barb Quaintance
Most Misericordia families are from the greater Chicago area: we're lucky to have the jewel that is Misericordia so close to home. But some families come from farther than Des Plaines or Bridgeport or Highland Park or even Peoria. They upend their lives and move to Chicago so that their children can live at Mis. They don’t see it as a burden or a hardship; like the rest of us, they see it as a blessing.
Now, let me introduce you to two such families new to the Misericordia community: the Harrigans and the Ryans.
Stephanie and John Harrigan raised their special needs sons, Sam and Ben, and their daughter, Julia, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Stephanie, a native of Rogers Park, knew Misericordia as the Angel Guardian orphanage when she was young and later as Misericordia.
Five Sisters, One Journey to Misericordia 
by Barb Quaintance
On the South Side of Chicago, Leonard and Helen Wolniak ran a funeral home that had been in the family since 1922. They also raised five daughters, Nancy, Laura, Janet, Christina, and Karen. Born in the 1950s and ‘60s, three of the girls—Laura, Christina, and Karen—had a rare genetic condition, PKU, that wasn’t properly diagnosed or adequately treated until many years later. Today, babies are routinely tested for PKU, and with a specialized diet, they develop normally. Nancy and Janet were always very involved in their lives and became legal guardians after the death of their parents.
Laura, Christina (lovingly called Tinka), and Karen have cognitive disabilities as well as varying degrees of physical impairment. When their parents could no longer care for their three daughters at home, the parents moved their daughters into a CILA group home through St. Colette’s of Illinois in Mokena; they lived there for 25 years. They attended a sheltered workshop in Tinley Park. The family was well aware of Misericordia, as Janet Wolniak Bender worked at Misericordia South for twenty-five years, starting as a music therapist and eventually becoming Director of Misericordia South. Nancy Wolniak Cook, who had a degree in special education, helped with the family business and became a licensed director/embalmer. Nancy was also familiar with Misericordia, as Wolniak Funeral Home provided some funeral services for Misericordia residents.
A Family’s Story of Love 
by Barb Quaintance
“It’s a story of love.” That’s how Emad Garibovic describes his family’s experience with Misericordia. And such a beautiful story it is.
Emad came to the United States from Bosnia. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Rogers Park, just a few blocks from Misericordia. He often came to campus to think and reflect—and he took walks there with his daughters, Dzenana and Hana. Emad believes many things led him to Misericordia. His neighbor, Marge Murphy, was a longtime Misericordia employee and encouraged him to apply for a job there. A few years later, Emad began working at Misericordia and, 23 years later, is the Director of Housekeeping & Laundry.
Emad and his wife, Senita, welcomed their second daughter, Hana, twenty-seven years ago. At eighteen months old, Hana was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and developmental delays. Emad and Senita did everything they could to care for Hana and meet all her needs. That included Hana attending the Northside Learning Center and, for many years, the day program at Misericordia. Meanwhile, their other daughter, Dzenana (Sivac), became a Mis employee, working at the Village and McAuley.
A Very Special Olympic Experience
by Linda Buchalo
Many times, I am reminded how fortunate I am that my son resides at Misericordia. Attending Mass at Jeanne Marie Ryan, going to Family Fest, dining in the Greenhouse Inn— these are just a few shining examples where I can attest to the goodness of Misericordia. This summer, when my son qualified for the statewide summer Special Olympics competition, I decided that I would attend. I did not travel with or stay with the group, but I arrived bright and early in the morning to oversee his getting ready for the day and I enjoyed meals, attended the opening ceremonies, and watched the swimming competition with the group. Often, over that weekend, I was again reminded of how blessed we both are to be affiliated with this very special place.
Isabel's Life at McAuley
by Marlo Cohen
We wanted to share a bit about how the incredible staff at McAuley Residence has made a positive impact supporting our daughter, Isabel, and our family during her first year at Misericordia.
When we arrived, we were all a little flustered with the unavoidable whirlwind of activity and our emotions. Then one of Isabel’s nurses quoted us a line from Rocky to help us remember her name. Having someone make you laugh in a stressful moment is a kindness. She lightened the mood, and just like that, it was easier to trust others with Isabel and let go a little.
A St. Patrick’s Day To Remember 
by Terri Rafter
I recently had the pleasure of tagging along on the bus to go to the South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade. What a fun experience that was! Not only did the staff show respect, patience and kindness to each resident, but the residents themselves were kind and helpful to each other. Added to their kindness is their sheer exuberance and joy. For some reason, laughter is the key to their happiness. Giggles and belly laughs come so easily to the residents. Wish we could all live our lives that way!
What the Heck is "Man Cave"? 
by Rick Nash
About two years ago, my son Bryan, who is a resident at Shannon Apartments, told me on the phone that he was late for “Man Cave”. Man Cave? What the heck is Man Cave? Bryan just said he needed to be there and hung up the phone. Later, I learned that Man Cave was a program started by one of the Shannon Qs. It’s part physical fitness, part team building, part motivational exercise, part dance party, and really a lot of fun. Here's how the Shannon Q describes the Man Cave:
"Man Cave was created to address the challenges faced by the guys at Shannon Apartments, especially some of their health issues related to weight gain and not-so-great eating habits. Many of them struggled to express these concerns, so I wanted to provide a safe, open space for them to come together and be vulnerable without feeling less than a man. The program encourages physical fitness and unity, teaching the guys not only how to work out, but also valuable life lessons like motivation, accountability, and teamwork.
A Tribute to Bob Erlenbaugh 
by Judy Wall
About a month ago, Bob Erlenbaugh (of “Bob and Madge” fame) passed away, leaving a big hole in the hearts of many of us at Misericordia. Below are thoughts from a handful of folks--staff, residents, parents--that his kind heart touched over the years here at Mis.
“Bob, along with Madge, of course, became a fixture at all things Misericordia, from formal events, like directing the Heartzingers Choir at the MFA dinners and Family Fest, to informal visits at resident homes...and spontaneous conversations anywhere and everywhere in between (i.e., sidewalks, GHI, etc.). Much of this had to do with his general enthusiasm towards life - "Never better!" - was his ready response to, "How's it going?" - but also his zeal towards faith and family. In the people and mission of Misericordia, he recognized and delighted in an opportunity to attend to both and did so for years and years with ever ready hands and an open heart.”
A Heartfelt Story 
by Merrily Smith
Like most Misericordia parents, I have a deep appreciation for the staff that serves my son, Tyler. I am grateful for their hard work and dedication, and I try not to take that for granted.
Day after day, they are there making sure our guys are safe and well cared for. It is not something we usually think of, but they spend more time with our kids than we do, and because of that, they sometimes pick up on things that we may not notice during home visits or when we visit them on campus. Once such time really stands out to me…
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