John Stanley Kareski, 45, of Merritt Island, Florida, beloved son, brother
and friend, died on March 25 after a long battle with cancer. John leaves
behind his devoted and loving parents, Rocky and Janet Rauckhorst of
Merritt Island, Florida, his father Stanley Kareski, of Akron, Ohio, sister
Michele Nemschick, and special nieces Lauren and Lily Nemschick of Cocoa
Beach, Florida, sister Stephanie Frazier, brother Matthew Kareski,
grandmother Virginia Maxine Morris, all of Akron, Ohio, and many
cherished aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
John was born on January 28, 1967 and spent his childhood playing on the
red brick streets of the North Hill section of Akron, Ohio. He was a tender
hearted and adventurous little boy who loved hiking through the woods in
the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, playing little league baseball, and reenacting
World War II battles with his best friends and father. John had a
lifelong love of the ocean and fishing; he taught himself how to play the
guitar and was an avid reader. Those are "WHAT" John liked to do. But
"WHO" John was, was a soul with a rare innocence of spirit and a purity of
heart that made those around him feel more hope in their fellow man.
On May 17, 1987, John was a sailor aboard the USS Stark, FFG-31, when it
was hit by two Iraqi Exocet missiles. Thirty-seven United States Navy
personnel were killed and twenty-one others were wounded. Although John
had no medical training, he cared for the wounded and the dying in the
aftermath of the attack. John carried the sorrow of the horror and suffering
he witnessed on the Stark for the rest of his life. Some sacrificed their lives
on the Stark, and some who survived sacrificed their opportunity to have a
happy, healthy future because of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. John
would want you to be a little kinder, a little gentler, and less judgmental of
the people you may encounter in your life- you never know what their
journey is all about.
A very special thank you to John's health care team: Dr. Timothy O'Hare,
The Cancer Care Center of Brevard, Dr. Germaine Blaine, Dr. Todd
Panarese, Dr. Ravi Shankar, nurses Nita and Chris, and the nurses of
Hospice of Health First. John's family would also like to extend their
gratitude to John's Band of Brothers: Jim, John M., John D., and Devin.
