John Hudson Dilgen

John Hudson Dilgen, 23, of Staten Island, New York, passed away on April 19, 2026, in Tottenville.

John Hudson was born on July 20, 2002, in Brooklyn, New York, to Faye Purpura Dilgen and John Dilgen. At the age of one, he moved with his family to Tottenville, where he was raised. He attended P.S. 1 and I.S. 34 and was a proud member of Cub Pack 21.

Born with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB), a rare genetic condition, John Hudson became a passionate and charismatic advocate for children and adults living with the disease. His powerful voice and dedication to raising awareness made a lasting impact, and in recognition of his efforts, he was named one of Staten Island’s most influential people in 2016.

John Hudson had a deep love for cooking for his family, Japanese culture, and Disney—especially pin collecting and trading. He was an enthusiastic fan of the New York Rangers and all things Marvel. Above all, he hoped his life and advocacy work with the EB Research Partnership would make a difference. (To learn about JH advocacy please visit https://give.ebresearch.org/campaign/sbsk-x-john-hudson/c584601). Those who knew him can attest that he achieved that goal many times over. He will be remembered for his boundless love for family and friends and his remarkable ability to touch the hearts of everyone he met.

John Hudson is survived by his mother, Faye; his sister, Kalilla; his brother, Teak; his brother-in-law, Pascal; his maternal grandparents, Peter and Cathy Purpura; his paternal grandmother, Enea Dilgen; and many loving aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was predeceased by his father, John Dilgen, his paternal grandfather, John Dilgen, and his maternal grandmother, Mildred Burns.

Friends may visit on Wednesday from 2-4 and 7-9PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Thursday at Our Lady Help of Christian's RC Church at 11:00AM

John Hudson will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who knew and loved him.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John Hudson’s memory to the following organizations that made a significant impact on his life and the life of his family:

John G. Chipura Memorial Foundation: (https://www.johngchipurafoundation.org)

EB Research Partnership (www.ebresearch.org)

The Sky Hope Foundation : https://skyhope.org/

Special Books for Special Kids (www.sbsk.org)

• The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation (www.t2t.org)