Anyone who knows Nick personally knows about his extensive, life long heart issues, stemming from being born with a rare congenital heart defect called Truncus Arteriosus. This condition has resulted in many open heart surgerys and cardiac procedures necessary to prolong and improve his quality of life.

His last open heart surgery, to replace a valve, took place on September 27, 2012. It was determined that due to the amount of calcification, scar tissue and damage to his heart, that he would not be able to have another open heart surgery unless it was for a transplant.

On March 25, 2021, Nick went into cardiac arrest twice during a routine, electrophysio study on his heart to see if he was a candidate for a defibrillator. After defibrillating shocks, life saving drugs and 16 minutes of CPR, the team at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY was able to bring him back to a normal rhythm and save his life and his one afternoon stay turned into the better half of a month. Miraculously, he suffered no brain damage but did develop a significant blood clot in his neck that hes still being treated for and they were able to place a defibrillator / pacemaker combo device prior to his discharge.

The future with Nick is uncertain and aside from the stage 2 heart failure, healing from surgery, bruised ribs and the blood clot, he will be facing several appointments, cardiac rehab and therapy, diet and lifestyle changes so that when the time comes, he will qualify for a heart transplant.

This leaves Nick in a position where he can no longer work and will have to apply for social security disability. He is the sole provider for his wife and 3 children. Until there is a determination for disability, there will be no income and with the cost of medications and bills they will quickly exhaust any savings they have set aside.

We are asking family, friends and acquaintances to help lighten this burden so that Nick and his family may get through this difficult time without worry.