Featured Hero: Jackie Liantonio Ventrudo - Mother, Wife of a Firefighter, Breast Cancer Survivor5/30/2013
At age 34, you're still young and in love, thinking nothing of living life vicariously, but sometimes life has other plans... As 2013 rolled around, it brought a lot of change to Jackie's life. "I was refocusing my energy on my family and making a lot of personal transformations when I discovered something strange [on my body]," Jackie begins. "I felt it and couldn't ignore it, so I confronted my husband and asked his opinion. Right away he urged me to go to the doctor. Even if it was nothing, he wanted me to put myself first, something that mothers rarely do. He put it in plain terms: if it was for one of our kids, I would rush to the doctor's office. He was right. After that initial visit, everything became a whirlwind: a mammo, an ultrasound, a biopsy and then the results; my world came crashing down." There is no easy way to say you have cancer, and that’s all I heard. I wanted to throw something, scream and tell them to test again, but all I did was sit there and let the tears run down my face as my husband held me and cried too.Jackie with her two sons "I didn’t say much to my children. My youngest is only one, and my four-and-a-half year old (who should be 30) is also still really small to understand. Until I had answers to his questions, it just wasn’t a conversation I was going to have with him. Phone calls were held in another room, visits were just that - aunts, uncles, and cousins stopping by to say hi and play. But the worst part has been putting my boys to sleep at night and wondering: Am I going to watch them grow? Will I be here next year to see my oldest graduate kindergarten? Will I see my little one ride a bike? I've cried to my husband whom, to this day, tells me, "You are going to be here to see all that - and then some! Jackie, always remember this is curable if we go about it the right way. You will be a survivor - we caught this early!" Within a week, Jackie and her husband were on their way to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City to meet with Jackie's breast surgeon to discuss her options. While there, she found out that the cancer was not hormone-related, something she thought may have been brought on by her last pregnancy, which would have led to treatment that would have been a bit easier on her body. Instead, she was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma leaving her with only two options: four months of chemotherapy followed by surgery, or surgery and then the chemo. Jackie and her family in Disney World "I decided to go with the first option - chemo then surgery, figuring I'd just bought myself four extra months to do what I wanted: to take my children to Disney World and have some normalcy before their lives were turned upside down; to enjoy a vacation where I had no worries and to enjoy my Mother’s Day this year with my husband, boys, mom, dad, mother in-law and aunt. So that's what I did. As I sit down and tell you this, I am halfway through my chemo. I've lost my hair and I'm constantly tired, but to watch my baby look up and kiss Mickey Mouse for the first time, it was worth all that I endured to this point." Jackie's oncologist says that she is doing great, the most aggressive of the drugs are over and she "kicked that out of the ball park." Her PET scans and MRIs only show the cancer as a tumor, which is great as it was caught early. She has seven more weeks of chemotherapy and then it’s a break for a few weeks before her surgery. I have elected to have a double mastectomy with reconstruction. I need to be there for my family, for my husband and for my kids. I need to live and by doing this, I have a greater chance. Two years from now I don’t want to hear that they found it in the other breast. I do not want to constantly be looking over my shoulder or be crossing fingers every time I have a mammo. On the brighter side of things, I get new boobs….hey, you still have to maintain a sense of humor to get through life. To join Jackie's fight against breast cancer, please visit:
2013 Komen Greater NYC Race for the Cure Featured Hero: Charles Catalanotto (1914-1978) World War II Veteran with the United States Army5/26/2013
According to Ellis Island's Port of New York Passenger Records, my Sicilian-born grandfather, Calogero "Charles" Catalanotto, arrived in America on January 11, 1920 from Palermo, Italy aboard a ship called the Italia; thus beginning his journey into American life. He was five-years old. Growing up in New Rochelle, New York, Charles and his family did what all immigrants knew what to do when coming to America at that time: they learned the native language, English, and worked hard to achieve the American dream while maintaining their cultural traditions in their household. Along with many young men, Charles was drafted to fight in World War II as a soldier in the United States Army. Proud to serve his country, my grandfather deployed to Germany.Charles with his wife Mary After his return to the United States, Charles was fixed up with a beautiful lady named Mary. An independent woman with a strong will, Mary was not easily attainable. But, after several dates and a promise of companionship, Charles won her heart and together they established a family, having two daughters, Lydia and Bernadette. Despite having two small children, both Charles and Mary worked hard in their respective businesses: Charles owned and operated a barbershop on Cortelyou Road in the Ditmas Park section of Brooklyn, as Mary, a seamstress, logged long hours at a factory while simultaneously selling women's undergarments out of the front room of her house, known to the neighbors as, "Mary's Cotton Shop." On a cold December day in 1978, Charles succumbed to a massive heart attack in the basement of the Canarsie home he shared with Mary. He was sixty-four years-old.
Denali is not your average pooch. He’s an overachieving Italian, cover model, and all around do-gooder; he is a therapy dog. But, a hero never truly works alone. His proud owners, Robert "Bob" Ipcar and Jane Landis, deserve credit in part for their Spinone’s accomplishments as they, too, are exemplars of community service. Bob and Jane with Denali Bob, a retired cameraman with the United States Army who became a Director of Photography for thirty years in civilian life, and Jane, an English as Second Language teacher and environmentalist at the Audubon Center in Brooklyn, initially tried therapy work with their first dog, a Mastiff named Yuffie. Though the efforts were good-natured, Yuffie's size startled patients and staff upon entrance onto hospital floors from the elevator. Yuffie did, however, receive recognition from The Good Dog Foundation and was appointed their mascot! Jane, Bob, and Denali at work After Yuffie's passing, Bob and Jane toyed with the idea of getting another dog. While backstage at the West Minster Dog Show, they were introduced to the Spinoni breed, a non-aggressive, pleasing type of hunting dog, and, as the old adage goes, the rest is history. Denali, whose temperament is calm and sweet, is definitely in his comfort zone as a therapy dog. “Whether we’re in the physical therapy unit at New York Methodist Hospital, on the palliative care/hospice floor at the Brooklyn VA, or making rounds with nursing home evacuees from hurricane Sandy at our local armory, Denali is hailed on a first name basis, basking in “shout-outs” from patients and staff alike. It’s a precious connection that will always stay with us,” says Bob. Denali and me! Upon meeting Denali, I instantly saw what made him special. His willingness to let me pet him, smush his cute face, and talk to him in a baby-like manner (an embarrassing habit I can’t seem to break) made me feel at home with him. Bob and Jane, equally inviting, offered up stories of their dog, including a few memorable awards he received for being an advocate for the community at large. Denali with hospital staff Denali volunteers on a weekly basis at NY Methodist Hospital where he visits patients undergoing physical therapy. “The coordinator, Amanda Nable, embraces our presence and encourages Denali and the rest of the therapy dogs who volunteer. There are a great many things happening there because of her,” Bob says. Jane smiles, agreeing with her husband. Denali's therapy work at the Brooklyn VA Hospital is particularly special for Bob. “It’s a way to give back,” he says with an expression that tells me he is grateful for his days as a soldier. Available on Amazon.com Jane informs me that her work with the displaced elderly at Park Slope Armory after hurricane Sandy spawned the idea of bringing Denali to provide comfort for the victims. “After receiving permission from the lead psychiatrist of the operation, Denali visited with the evacuees from Belle Harbor Nursing Home and, boy, were they happy to see him.” Who could resist that cute chocolate face? Certainly not the publishing industry! Denali posed for the cover of Barron’s Dog Training Bible, by Andrea Arden, and is also featured on several pages throughout the book. He was also featured in the Daily News article, “Furry Docs on Duty.” Though he isn’t in Hollywood, he is most definitely on YouTube. Check out adorable Denali bringing Jane flowers for Mother’s Day. (Dog lovers, consider yourselves warned!) You're welcome.
*If you'd like to read more about dogs (therapy or other), visit my friend Dorri's blog. Heroes may be at the forefront of conflict, but mothers are at the forefront of everything. It takes a lot of strength and selflessness to be hero. These qualities also hold true for mothers. You see, moms are everyday heroes; providers of constant support and fulfilling needs that are as basic and as complex as one could imagine. Now, if you look at mothers of heroes, the already long list of motherhood “to-do’s” (and “to-don’ts”) grows longer… Sally's eldest son Just ask Sally Campbell, mother of two firefighters. She knows firsthand how her call to duty is as instantaneous as her sons’: there is no task too small, no alarm ever false. Sally’s oldest son is not only a fireman, but is also a former Marine with the United States Marine Corps. A decision he made despite his mother’s pleas, Sally is proud nonetheless. “My attempts to steer my son away from a career in the military were because of the death of my cousin Kevin Dugan, a soldier in the Army, who was killed in Vietnam.” Kevin Howard Dugan, Specialist Four in the United States Army, sustained fatal injuries after his convoy ran over a landmine trying to deliver supplies to other soldiers. “Kevin’s death wasn’t immediate. He survived the trip from Vietnam to a hospital in Japan, even calling his mother, my aunt, to let her know that he was okay, but shortly after their conversation he succumbed to the wounds.” Though Sally’s perspective on the military hasn’t changed, she says she will forever be proud of her sons for having the courage to do what they do. “As a mother, I am extremely proud of my boys. What they do is remarkable. As scary as it may be for me, it's incredibly brave of them.” Bernadette with her son In a post-9/11 world, no one community appears to be “safe.” This is a hard concept for many Americans to accept, but it’s a reality we must live with. Bernadette Buatti, a mother to a former sailor in the United States Navy, can tell you how uneasy life became after September 11th, 2001. “My son, who was only enlisted for nine months in September of 2001, was suddenly deployed for war,” she says, “and to my amazement - and horror - he spent the majority of his enlistment in the Middle East between battles in Afghanistan and Iraq.” One of several homecomings Though the military is different from that of the fire department, Sally says that the worrying never stops. “Firefighting is a job on the home front. Yes, my boys get to see their families more frequently than that of a soldier, but the sacrifice spans over a lifetime, just like that of a combatant.” Sally and Bernadette agree that making care packages is the best way of providing comforts of home for their heroes. “It shows your support. That you care about them and what they’re doing,” Bernadette says. If you or someone you know is a mother of a hero in any branch of service, Bernadette and Sally recommend joining a support group. “Navy Moms, an online support group, helped me tremendously during my son’s deployments,” Bernadette says. “I can’t say thank you enough to those women.” Photograph of Sally with her sons is courtesy of Amanda Marie Artistry. For more information on Amanda's services, please click on the photo or her name above. "My father, Joseph N. Esposito, was born on July 18, 1938 in Manhattan, New York," Elizabeth begins, eyes watery. She apologizes before continuing, but I understand her sadness as this coming Sunday, the 5th of May, marks the anniversary of his departure from her in the physical sense. Elizabeth quickly regains composure, however, and talks on like a proud daughter would; her words story-like yet matter-of-fact like that of a genealogy enthusiast. "He was the third of seven children born to my grandparents and, from an early age, had a knack for building and creating marvelous things. Elizabeth and I sharing a good laugh. "By the time he was 17, he'd built a hovercraft, a helicopter that really flew, and rigged up several different types of wires and radios that caught the "S.O.S.” signal of the Andrea Doria. Believe it or not, the FBI showed up at my grandparents’ front door!" she says, chuckling. In August 1959, Joseph enlisted in the United States Army and was eventually sent to Korea. "The peace treaty was already signed by the time my father arrived in Asia, but apparently no one told the soldiers because my father did see his share of gunfire and combat." In 1960, Joseph participated in the Eighth Army’s rifle, pistol and automatic rifle matches in Hawaii. He was classified as a pistol Master by the NRA and won many medals for sharpshooting. He was honorably discharged after three years of service and married Elizabeth's mother in 1962. "My father and I became closer in the summer of 1991 following his first of four heart attacks. He was unable to work and developed a passion for lighthouses. I would travel throughout New York and New Jersey with him to take pictures and explore these structures. He was so enamored with them that he built scale replicas and eventually asked the United States Coast Guard if he could be the volunteer Lighthouse Keeper of the Staten Island Lighthouse, Lighthouse Hill. He was instated Lighthouse Keeper from 1992-2001. Many of his scale models are displayed throughout Staten Island in such places as Fort Wadsworth, Miller Field, and the Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences. On May 5, 2005, my parents’ 43rd wedding anniversary, my father succumbed to an abdominal aortic aneurysm." Joseph is survived by his wife, Anna, his daughters Joann, Ellena, and Elizabeth, his son Joseph, and four grandchildren. Roots & Branches Elizabeth's passion for family history developed as a child while sifting through old family photos at her grandmother's house. Her company, Roots & Branches, is a product of those childhood moments with her grandma. Like her kin, Elizabeth takes fragments of others' family history and pieces them together. "I am not a licensed genealogist, nor do I present myself as one, but I feel that I have a natural talent for research and want to help others solve the mysteries of their past." Roots & Branches provides a preliminary search to make sure that efforts will be fruitful for the client in the end result. Elizabeth's fees are reasonable compared to that of a licensed genealogist. "I am charging for my time, and it does take time to provide accurate results. I make a point of being professional because customer service is the key to being successful. I spend a great deal of time conversing one-on-one with my clients to ensure that we are focusing on the same short and long-term goals." Browse the Facebook page for Roots & Branches. There, you will find some projects that Elizabeth created for family members as well as a pricing guide. For the sake of confidentiality, she is unable to publish anything discovered for clients. "It is important to know whom we came from so we know where we’re going." |