Sullivan James McArdle

Sullivan James McArdle made his journey to heaven on February 20, 2023. Sullivan spent all of his life with his extended family at Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, where he was born just short of 11 months prior. Sullivan was a true miracle through and through. Born at just under 25 weeks gestation he defied the odds from the very beginning. Sullivan was strong, but the superhero kind of strong. He endured more as a tiny baby than anyone should ever be asked to endure. Sullivan was smart and loved studying faces and books and toys. Sullivan had opinions, strong opinions, and he didn’t mind sharing them. He could communicate more with his side eye and sharp eyebrows than some could ever vocalize. He was sassy, yes, but he also was so sweet and loved to laugh. He wouldn’t just smile, but would full on belly laugh, especially when others in the room were laughing. Sullivan loved people and having people around. Sometimes at 4:00 a.m. he would miss having everyone around and demand, in his own way, to have everyone come pay him a visit. Sullivan was stylish, and put up with so many photo shoots directed by his mother. He also was forced to help write several legal briefs as his mother sometimes insisted on working from his crib. Sullivan had quite the knowledge of sports and music and the Irish language taught to him by his father. Sullivan was indisputably the spitting image of his father, except for his beautiful strawberry blonde hair that he shares with his mother. 

Sullivan was a gift. He was the shining light for his parents, John and Amy McArdle, who survive him. He is also survived by his loving grandparents, uncle, aunts, cousins, and so, so many other family members, most of whom he never got to physically meet, but who prayed for him throughout his entire life. He is also survived by his family at Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital who loved and cared for him from his first breath to his last and assisted with all of the breaths in between. Sullivan was loved. Oh, how he was loved! Boy, did he ever know it too. Sullivan’s legacy includes a prayer chain that spans the whole entire globe. He brought people together in a way that only true heroes can do. He continues doing that even today and still tomorrow. 

The family is hosting a Celebration of Sullivan’s Life Saturday, February 25, 2023 in J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Downtown Chapel, 232 Calhoun Street, Charleston, SC 29401 at 11:00 a.m. The family will receive guests one hour prior to service in the Downtown Chapel. 

Donations in Sullivan’s honor can be made to Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital Palliative Care team to support other chronically ill families or directly to Sullivan’s GoFundMe to support remaining medical expenses at https://gofund.me/6a40ea76.