Elliot "Eli" Krolczynski

Elliot "Eli" Krolczynski of Naperville, IL, died suddenly on Sunday, September 7th, in Chicago, IL. He was only 18 years old.
Eli was born on October 21, 2006, in Naples, Florida. He moved to Illinois when he was six years old, attending Fry Elementary and Scullen Middle School. Eli recently graduated from Waubonsie Valley High School in 2025.
Eli was a talented violinist, playing with the orchestras in both middle and high school. Eli loved birdwatching, whether in the wild or by hanging bird feeders wherever possible. He was an extremely skilled artist, able to draw both detailed portraits as well as delightful cartoons. He wrote many hilarious comic books that were enjoyed by his family and friends. He loved SpongeBob, and he relished his memes. He was an advocate for social justice and animal welfare. He was particularly beloved by his cat, Izzy, who misses him so.
Eli was a freshman at the University of Illinois, Chicago, where he planned to study biochemistry. Although he had many admissions choices, he wanted to study in Chicago because he loved the city and was thrilled to be at UIC.
He is survived by his parents, Aggie and Mariusz Krolczynski of Naperville, and his brother, Ethan Krolczynski. He was lovingly raised till age of five by his maternal Grandma, Anna Popielska, who passed away in 2019. He is also survived by his paternal Grandma, Jadwiga "Yaja " Grendowska and Papa Tom Narekian from Bonita Springs, Florida. He is also missed by his loving Uncle Marek and Aunt Alexandra Bankowicz of Krakow, Poland. He was particularly beloved by his cousins Ari and Alicja Bankowicz of Krakow. He will also be lovingly missed by his Uncle Karol and Aunt Joanna Rybinski of Mount Prospect, IL, and their daughters, Natalia and Julia, as well as his aunt Kasia Arient of Florida. Additionally, Eli will forever stay in the heart of Levi Pleger of Vancouver, WA, whose love for Eli was with him till the end.
Eli knew more science than his parents will ever know. He delighted his family and his friends with his sense of humor and his original take on the natural and scientific world. He will be greatly missed every day by his family and friends. In his memory, notice birds in nature, find humor in the world, and be captivated by the beauty of science.
In Eli's memory, donations can be made to the Trevor Project, or St Jude's Hospital.