Guy Blessing
Guy Blessing, a 2020 graduate of Lake Forest Academy, is currently a Division I hockey goaltender at the U.S. Air Force Academy. At LFA, Blessing was a two-sport athlete, lettering three years in hockey and one in baseball. He also played junior hockey after LFA, spending time with the Topeka Pilots and the Lone Star Brahmas, both in the NAHL, and with the Lincoln Stars in the USHL. He entered the Air Force Academy’s hockey program in 2021, and since his arrival, he has been a starting goaltender.
Blessing started all 38 games during the alcons’ 2023–2024 season. He logged more than 2,100 minutes and had a goals-against average below 3.00. His constant presence behind the net helped the team navigate through a challenging four-quarter season. His play also earned him a spot on he College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team as well as the Atlantic Hockey All-Academic Team.
Blessing is studying astronautical engineering, a highly technical and demanding field at the Academy, and is heading off to continue his career at NASA.
Dr. Patrick McCarthy
Back in 1973, Dr. Patrick McCarthy was an average senior boarding student at Lake Forest Academy, with dreams of becoming a famous rock-star. During this time, LFA was an all-boys school with 30 students in each graduating class. His father was a surgeon, and he had seven older brothers, four of whom attended LFA as well. While he was a teenager, McCarthy recalls not being the best student, but he also remembers forming lifelong friendships and bonds during his high school years.
McCarthy attended the University of Notre Dame, where he was majoring in Archeology and Anthropology. However, given his familial ties with the world of medicine, he always knew that he would end up pursuing a career as a surgeon. He decided to go to medical school, and made a name for himself as a heart surgeon in the Chicagoland area. Later in his career, he became the executive director of the cardiovascular program at Northwestern University, where he created the cardiovascular institute and acts as a mentor to many of the younger surgeons he works with. Throughout all of his successes McCarthy never forgot the impact that LFA had on his daily life and profession.
Never straying too far from his roots, McCarthy currently resides in Winnetka, Illinois and frequently visits to see the evolution of LFA. He often looks back on the skills that LFA gave him, specifically a push in his writing ability which he attributes as the most important skill in the STEM world. To strengthen his continued ties to the school, he served on the Board of Trustees for three years, until his 100-hour work week took over. Today, his older brother continues to serve on the board and he has never lost the connection with LFA.
Although campus may look much different to McCarthy, he still sees the same strong community that was there 52 years prior. “Enjoy LFA. You’re learning a lot more than you know,” he said. “Who you are in high school is not always who you become. For now, remember to be challenged and make great friends.”
Dr. McCarthy is a role model for many and a testament to an LFA education. He plans to visit more often, and continues keeping in touch with the Advancement Office, so he is always aware of what’s changing and growing and how the traditions have remained.
