David Skaar, who is best known around the Iowa State campus for wearing his Mad Hatter hat and playing chess with students, has been hospitalized due to a stroke he suffered on Nov. 21. He is currently being cared for at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames and is scheduled to be released on Dec. 21, after which he will be moved to a neurological rehabilitation center in Ankeny, Iowa.

“Tell the students that I miss them all, and I want them all to have a good Christmas and a Happy New Year,” Skaar said over the phone. “They [always] made my day. It meant a lot… I’d love to get back to the Memorial Union and surprise everyone, but right now, I’m taking it one day at a time.”

If you have any experiences playing chess with David, his family urges you to leave any stories or well wishes in the comments of the article or to send him a note via Mary Greeley’s Cheer Cards program.

Born in 1955, Skaar grew up in Story City, Iowa, and learned to play chess from his older brother in the summer of 1963. After spending some time working as a motorcycle mechanic and competing in chess tournaments in California, he moved back to Iowa in 2003 to look after his father for the next seven years.

From his hospital bed, Skaar shared his optimistic philosophy on life.

“You can’t keep joy to yourself,” he said. “Share it like it’s the best ice cream in town, and you just might start something.”