November 22, 1946 – November 4, 2020. John Tilelli, who was a roommate of John Schmelzer, graduated from University of Notre Dame in 1968 and University of Chicago in 1970 with a Masters of Science in Physics. He spent 2 years in the United States Health Service with a rank of Health Service Officer (O-4). He was honorably discharged in 1972. In 1976, he graduated with a Doctor of Medicine from University of Utah. John Tilelli held positions of intern, resident, fellow, and chief resident at University of Minnesota Hospital before moving to Florida. From 1987 to 2016, John Tilelli worked as a Pediatric Intensive Care Physician for Arnold Palmer Hospital. 

John Tilelli held board certifications in Pediatrics, Medical Toxicology, Emergency Medicine, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, and Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Throughout his career, he had over 30 publications and numerous presentations. 

John Tilelli is survived by his 6 children, Nicholas, John Jr. Bridget, Maria, Matthew, and Michael. 

Among the reflections friends and family posted was this one, left by one of John’s students: “I was a PICU RN when John came to Orlando in 1983. He was such a rare combination of pure genius, kindness, and compassion. On Monday mornings when he took over as PICU attending, everyone would bring a chair as his evaluation and plan for each patient was comprehensive and thorough. He was never boring and never bored. Is there another person who had as many board certifications as JT had?! Once we had a baffling and very rare case come in, but JT had the diagnosis immediately. When I queried him on where to find information on it, he gave me the name and author of the book which I found in the medical library. In the 4 inch thick volume, the only mention of the illness was in a mere 6 lines. I was in awe of the man, his interests, wisdom and knowledge. I hope the Buddhists are right and JT gets to come back again. The world needs him.”