Our Lady of Victory Statue Shines Anew on Campus

The Our Lady of Victory statue, located between the law school and Canevin Hall, has a new, special shine thanks to a 14-year-old volunteer who donated his time this summer repairing and repainting the statue.

Dedicated after the end of World War II in 1945, Our Lady of Victory has stood in honor of students, alumni and their families who served in the war. Dedications were added to those who served in Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama and the Persian Gulf War.

But time had taken a toll on the graceful Daprato Studios statue—and Alexander “Sasha” Gardner of Mount Lebanon noticed. He spent four weeks this summer using pearlescent paint and gold highlights to give the beloved statue a refreshed look.

Sasha is no stranger to the campus community. He’s the son of alumna and current healthcare ethics doctoral student Shelley Kobuck, who also is a former alumni board president and former member of the Board of Directors. Adopted from Russia as a baby, Kobuck tells of Sasha’s special connection with the Blessed Virgin Mary since he was a 13-month-old fascinated with the Mary icon in his nursery.

When he was 7, Sasha was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and became part of the prayer lives of many on campus. With this dire diagnosis, Kobuck was determined to have Sasha blessed by Pope Benedict XVI and planned a trip to Italy in June 2006. She and her family believe this goal was realized only through the kindness of strangers and a large dose of divine intervention that opened door after door. They obtained needed passports in just four days. They were invited to pass Sasha up to the front row of the papal audience to sit with strangers. By the day’s end, Sasha had been taken by a guard to the Pope for a kiss on his forehead. After a successful surgery several months later, Sasha remains cancer-free today.

As Sasha has grown, so has his commitment to the Blessed Mother. About two years ago, he started volunteering to repair Mary statues of family, friends and his parish, St. Bernard. Our Lady of Victory has been his largest project to date, a labor of love and devotion.

After chipping away layers of old paint, Sasha noted, Mary is now smiling again.