In Memory of John Lipiros: Support His Loved Ones

Hello family and friends,

In the early morning hours of January 20th, 2025, we tragically and unexpectedly lost my husband, John Lipiros, at the age of 42 due to cardiac arrest. We had no idea that John had any heart issues prior to this, and he was the epitome of incredible health and fitness to everyone who knew him. John has two young children, Luke (age 7) and Bella (age 3). John was an incredible husband, father, son, and friend. He made breakfast and dinner for the kids every day because he wanted to. He ordered groceries, paid every bill for our household, and spent every minute of his weekends with our children, reading to them, giving them baths, and swinging them in the air higher than I liked. :)

He was an incredible athlete and rowed both in high school and in college at Cornell University. Rowing was so much his passion that he seriously considered training for the Olympics immediately after college. He later went on to row competitively in the UK at Henley and was a member of both the Penn AC and University Barge clubs over the years. After having children made it harder to make the 4:30 am meetups on the Schuylkill River, he would row on a rowing machine in our basement. I would hear it humming at least twice a week. He also just recently celebrated 400 classes attended at his gym, F45, and did that religiously 4 times per week. He was such a fitness inspiration to me that I decided to start going to F45 too!

Whenever I would overcommit myself to something (which would happen more than I'd like to admit!), he would immediately jump in and support me before I asked. He was the hardest working and most disciplined person I've ever met, which is why I fell so in love with him the moment I met him. I was genuinely so proud to call him my husband each and every day we were married. He was loving, consistent, and reliable in each and every way, and the most humble man I've ever met. We balanced each other so beautifully, and he was truly my best friend. In June 2025, we would have been together for an incredible 20 years. And I was excited for (hopefully!) our next 50 years together.

We were rarely apart and did everything together as a family of four: trips to the museum, running errands, drives to the Jersey shore to visit family. My mind refuses to accept that we are now a family of three. We are still in shock by the gravity of this sudden loss and that our family life will be forever changed. Our family is stunned, heartbroken, and shattered. Words can't describe the emptiness I feel when I climb into bed and his side of the bed is incomplete. After 20 years together, I feel that I have lost a huge piece of myself and my entire heart.

I am setting up this GoFundMe because so many people in our incredible community have asked how they can support us during this hard time. Some of the money will support our family with medical bills and the unplanned and unexpected loss of John's income. We are also committed to taking a portion of the funds raised to create an annual rowing scholarship in John's memory at Cornell University. I know, without a doubt, that is exactly what he would have wanted. I plan to take our children to Cornell so we can all meet the recipient of each scholarship and see exactly where Daddy rowed.

Thank you all so much for asking how you could support our family during this incredibly difficult time. We are forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support we have felt these past few days.

Love, Maria, Luke & Bella