Chicago man finds his St. Jude ‘why’ in Peoria

Born and raised in the heart of Chicago, just a stone’s throw from Lake Michigan, Hubert Morales spent his childhood roaming around his beloved Humboldt Park. Though he was just a child, his eyes were always drawn to areas of nature that were carefully curated and designed to move through each season. 

Years later, working as a bricklayer high above the city, Hubert remained enchanted by the natural beauty in the parks around each job site. After a workplace injury left him in a long period of physical recovery, he used the associate’s degree in ornamental horticulture he had earned years earlier to find fulfilling work as a groundskeeper.  

As Hubert found the place where he felt home, professionally, he also found the person who felt like home wherever he lived. Julie came into Hubert's life when he was 30. Though they met in Chicago, she was proudly from Peoria, Illinois — a city with a very special tie to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®. When Danny Thomas was founding St. Jude, friends in Peoria were integral in initial fundraising efforts. Their sustaining support was contagious within the community and Peoria has profoundly supported the mission of St. Jude, like no other, for more than 60 years. 

Hubert remembers teasing his in-laws, who lived in Peoria, about their strong pull toward St. Jude.  

“I'd say, ‘Why are you watching these telethons all the time? What's the big deal?’” he said. “They would have them on all weekend, and they were contributors. They gave what they could. They were great supporters of St. Jude.” 

As they grew older, they needed assistance from Julie and Hubert, who helped them pay their bills and make the donations to St. Jude that remained a priority until their final days.  

Just as fundraising for St. Jude was contagious in Peoria, it was in Hubert's new family as well. He and his wife began making donations to St. Jude and continued throughout their life together. When Julie was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, the couple began to consider their estate plans. “At that point, we finally did what we had put off — writing out our wills. She insisted that part of our investments go to St. Jude. So, we included them at that point in our will.”

When Julie passed away, Hubert found great comfort in the St. Jude community. On dark days, the Illinois area and Peoria fundraisers offered reasons to get out of the house, filling his life with purpose. "They're just an amazing community. They're very unique. They're such strong supporters." 

Hubert is a proud member of the Danny Thomas-St. Jude Society, a group of legacy donors who have included St. Jude in their estate plans. Because of this membership, he has had a front-row seat for scientific advancements, changing the future for children all over the world.

“My hope for St. Jude in the future is that they continue to employ top researchers and doctors … and just continue doing good. And I hope they move further on a worldwide scale and reach underserved communities in the United States also.”