Leo Tibensky

Leo Tibensky was a long-time supporter of WTTW. His favorite shows which he always watched or recorded were the PBS NewsHour and The McLaughlin Group. Leo never retired, lived an active life, and even traveled to Mexico a few months before he passed at age 93. Leo always wanted to keep up with current events so that he could remain interested and interesting when he met people. The last 15 years of his life he was legally blind due to macular degeneration and totally blind the last two years. Since the blindness began he could no longer read the newspaper and so he relied on WTTW to keep him updated with events and political discourse.

John, Leo’s son, said, “After my father died my sisters and I wanted to make a gift to WTTW as a challenge grant in his honor. The challenge grant surrounded the presentation of Geoffrey Baer's Chicago Loop: A New Walking Tour. They used the "Leo Tibensky Trust Challenge Grant" of $10,000 for a 3:1 match. In other words, our gift of $10,000 was used to spur $30,000 in support! This has turned out to be very exciting and truly better than we could have ever expected.”

Leo would love to know that this contribution and challenge grant made a significant contribution to WTTW and the pledge drive. Because to him, WTTW really was his window to the world.