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Reporter John Rooney Dies After Battle with ALS, Broke Deadly Tylenol Story

By Howard Ludwig | July 1, 2016 8:32am | Updated on July 1, 2016 1:10pm
 John Rooney, 56, of West Beverly died Thursday morning after battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS. He worked as a reporter throughout his career, including stints at the City News bureau and
John Rooney, 56, of West Beverly died Thursday morning after battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS. He worked as a reporter throughout his career, including stints at the City News bureau and "Chicago Daily Law Bulletin."
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WEST BEVERLY — John Rooney, 56, a longtime journalist from West Beverly, died Thursday after a two-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS.

Rooney worked for City News bureau, the Tampa Tribune and the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. He is perhaps best known for his coverage of the 1982 Tylenol killings. Uncovering the link between the Chicago-area deaths and the cyanide-laced Tylenol earned Rooney a Peter Lisagor Award from the Chicago Headline Club.

Holly Simon of Beverly knew Rooney for 20 years. She described him as a family man who was also her husband's best buddy. In fact, Rooney would often school the Simons on how to raise their son, Nate. He was born Nov. 26, 2003, with Down syndrome.

"He loved Nate like his own son," Simon said. "John was quiet yet when he spoke you listened."

Commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, ALS ran in Rooney's family. Both his mother and aunt succumbed to the incurable disease. Rooney sought to spread awareness after he was diagnosed.

In fact, his likeness was captured in a block of ice last year after the popular "Ice Bucket Challenge," in which people shared videos of themselves pouring ice cold water on their heads to raise money for the ALS Association.

“I’m optimistic that eventually there will be a cure," Rooney told the Beverly Review.

When he learned he had the disease, Rooney wrote in the Law Bulletin about his family's history with the disease but that "I will not allow ALS to define me."

"At age 54, I rely on my faith, along with strong support from family and friends. I want to continue working for as long as possible. I also plan to continue enjoying life with my wife, Meg, and our sons, Ned, Jack and Dan. We welcome thoughts, prayers and anything that will make me laugh," he wrote.

In a Law Bulletin obituary, his former editor, Bernard Judge, called him "a man in the true sense of the word."

"You can be all kinds of things, but it's very hard to be honest and honorable and to respect not only the people that you work with but to respect the people that you cover," Judge said.

Rooney is survived by his wife and their sons.

“He was an amazing father,” his wife said in an obituary in the Sun-Times. “The most important thing he told his boys was, ‘When you’re young, I’m not here to be your friend. I’m your dad. But we will be friends.'”

Funeral services are pending.

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