On January 21, 2025, Marist High School and Brother Rice High School faced off in the annual Battle of Pulaski rivalry basketball game. This year’s game, hosted at Marist, ended with a thrilling 56-51 victory for the RedHawks. While the two schools have a fierce rivalry, they came together on this special night to support the Weish4Ever foundation, which supports families battling cancer.
The partnership between Marist, Brother Rice, and Weish4Ever is deeply personal. Andrew and his brother Dan both attended Brother Rice—Andrew graduated in 2009 and Dan in 2011—while their youngest brother, Nic, attended Marist and graduated in 2014. Andrew passed away in 2012, and in early 2013, Weish4Ever was created in his honor.
The game began as all Catholic athletic events do—with prayer. At halftime, the Andrew Weishar Foundation presented two families, one from Marist and one from Brother Rice, with $7,500 checks to help alleviate some of the financial burden that comes with battling cancer. Thanks to the support of the Marist and Brother Rice communities, Weish4Ever has been able to support over 600+ families throughout Chicagoland, granting more than $3.3 million directly to families facing cancer.
“I would like to give a big thank you to the Weishar family and the Marist community. The work that is being done at the Andrew Weishar Foundation (Weish4Ever) is truly amazing and the immediate impact they’ve had on myself and my family is extraordinary. Marist has always been home for me, and I am very grateful for the continued love and support from my RedHawk family,” said Mike Markett ’19, who was presented with a check from Weish4Ever at the game.
At the end of the game, the Weish4Ever Foundation continued the tradition of presenting a new Battle of Pulaski trophy. This year, the Pulaski Post was awarded to Marist. We look forward to next year’s game, which will be hosted at Brother Rice.
Marist High School is proud to be part of this meaningful tradition and looks forward to continuing our partnership with Brother Rice and Weish4Ever for years to come.
About the Andrew Weishar Foundation
Before he passed in October of 2012, Andrew asked his younger brother Dan to “pay forward” the acts of kindness and generosity shown to their family. In early 2013, Weish4Ever was created to honor this selfless request, specifically by: easing the financial burden, bringing joy, and ensuring patients and their families know they’re not alone in this fight against cancer. The Foundation provides direct financial assistance to families with adolescents and young adults battling cancer.
