It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our beloved colleague Jong M. Rho, MD, on July 22, 2026. Dr. Rho was Section Chief of Child Neurology at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital and Yale University School of Medicine. He was a dedicated scientist, clinician, mentor, sponsor, and pillar of the Child Neurology Society. Dr. Rho served as a member of the CNS Research Committee from 2017-2021.
Dr. Rho’s seminal work elucidated the pathophysiology of seizures and specifically the role of the ketogenic diet in patients with intractable epilepsy, providing clinicians with tools to improve the lives of countless patients, families, and caregivers. In 2023, as part of the Presidential Symposium: Mitochondrial Disease: 10 Years of Advances & Progress, Dr. Rho educated the child neurology community on The Ketogenic Diet and Mitochondrial Function.
Across the world, the child neurology community was shaken to hear of Dr. Rho’s passing. We thought immediately of his family. Those of us who knew Dr. Rho through his teaching, clinical leadership, mentorship, and research always got to hear about his treasured family—where they were, how they were doing, when he would next see each of them.
Dr. Rho’s eagerness to help all those around him reach their potential translated into thoughtful mentoring of hundreds of people within child neurology and the neurosciences. His legacy lives on in their work.
Dr. Rho will be remembered as a friend as much as a colleague. Our deepest condolences to his family, colleagues, patients, and trainees. We have heard from countless CNS community members and friends with expressions of gratitude for Dr. Rho and the emptiness we face together in our loss. His impact will continue for generations to come.
Please visit the family’s CaringBridge page for information on memorial services.
A full obituary will be published separately.