On a beautiful, sunny November morning, the St. Louis School community gathered in Alexandria Nov. 9 to unveil and bless a statue of St. Carlo Acutis.
Standing beneath the parish bell tower and facing the school entrance, the statue holds special meaning. It honors the memory of Ian Ramirez, a former student whose parents wanted to give the school something meaningful that their son loved.
The statue was donated by Ruben and Erika Ramirez in memory of Ian, who graduated from St. Louis School in 2024. He was a sophomore at Hayfield High School in Alexandria when he died earlier this year.
Ian shared a special connection with St. Carlo Acutis, the young Italian saint who died at age 15 and is known for his love of computers and video games. Like Carlo, Ian enjoyed technology and soccer, but those who knew him remember him most for his devotion to his family, his friends and his faith.
Jennifer Bobrowski, Ian’s eighth-grade teacher at St. Louis, remembers his enthusiasm for technology and his willingness to help others.
“He loved computers and all things computer-related, just like St. Carlo Acutis. He always wanted to help with technology,” Bobrowski said.
“He embraced everything,” she added. “His family was very important to him and so was his faith. He was an altar server and often shared how faith played a significant role in his life.”
For Ian’s parents, the connection between their son and St. Carlo Acutis began with a conversation at home. One afternoon, Ian returned from school excited to tell his mother about a young saint he had learned about who enjoyed playing video games.
“See, it’s not a bad thing to be a gamer,” Ian told his mother, pleased to discover that a saint shared one of his favorite pastimes.
His parents remembered that conversation as they thought about how to honor their son.
After Ian’s passing, Ruben and Erika often returned to St. Louis Church, finding comfort in prayer and in being close to a community that meant so much to their family.
During one of those visits, Ruben sat near the school’s bell tower, looking toward the entrance. There, he first envisioned a statue of St. Carlo Acutis.
The family wanted to do something that would benefit the children of St. Louis, giving them a saint they could identify with and look to as an example in their daily lives.
“Why don’t we just teach our kids (about) a saint that’s just 15 years old?” Ruben recalled asking Father Keith M. O’Hare, St. Louis pastor, when he proposed the idea.
Father O’Hare welcomed the proposal, and over the next five months, the family worked with the parish and school to bring the project to life.
During the Mass preceding the unveiling, Father O’Hare spoke directly to the students about St. Carlo Acutis and what it means to become a saint.
“A regular person who lived a Jesus kind of life,” he explained, reminding them that everyone can strive for holiness, regardless of age.
He described Carlo’s ordinary childhood, including his love of video games, animals and music. But Father O’Hare emphasized that what made Carlo extraordinary was his decision to follow Jesus from a very young age.
“That’s the best thing about Carlo —he didn’t wait. He started today. Now,” Father O’Hare said.
He encouraged students to follow Carlo’s example, reminding them they don’t have to wait until they are older to make a difference in others’ lives.
Father O’Hare also spoke movingly about Ian and the love his parents expressed through their gift to the school.
“Every day the students will see the beautiful statue of St. Carlo —and in seeing Carlo, they will also see their friend Ian. To greet Carlo is to greet Ian; to love Carlo is to love Ian,” he said, translated from his remarks in Spanish.
Ian’s parents recalled a question from his high school yearbook asking what cheered him up every morning. Ian’s answer was just two words: “My friends.”
For Ruben and Erika, the statue keeps Ian’s memory present at St. Louis while helping other children discover the saint who inspired their son.
As students walk past the bell tower each morning, St. Carlo Acutis will stand as a reminder, for years to come, that they, too, can follow Jesus in their everyday lives. And for those who knew Ian, the statue will always carry the memory of a friend who once walked those same school grounds.
Thomas is diocesan deputy director of communications.
