Everyday Blessings for the Valiant Venanzis

I didn’t think it could happen, you never do until it happens to you or someone close to you in your family; but it did.  My hero was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia in January 2020.   

For me it all started when I was 9 in Alfred, NY.  I always looked up to my older sister, Barbie and wanted to be like her.  She had dated different people that I always liked; however this was different.  Barbie was in college at Alfred University at the time and told me she wanted to introduce me to her boyfriend, David at the local ice cream parlor.   

He had me at a heaping scoop of Mint chocolate chip.   

I was approaching that awkward middle school age that we all go through and the best way I can explain the impact that my now brother-in-law had on my life was like the moment I met David, it was like I suddenly started going through life wearing Maui Jim sunglasses.  I was still living my life as I was before, it just was a little brighter and able to see the colors of my world in a way I hadn’t before.  If you’ve never owned a pair- try them.  David has been a strong, confident, larger than life force in my life that helped make me believe in myself in some of the toughest points in my life and has ALWAYS been there when I have needed it.   

I am very lucky to be blessed with a wonderful small close-knit family and a fantastic father.  The day David came in, I got to have another wonderful father figure in my life.  David shared his heart and soul with my family and entertained us with his funny, fascinating stories of growing up very mischievous in a traditional Italian family, stories from the military, working in the Air Force and interfacing with the DIA, etc… I’ve never met anyone that can make you feel like when they speak to you there isn’t anyone else more important in that moment.  I was lucky to be able to spend lots of time with my sister and David.  David helped make my family even closer than we were and brought so much life and fun to our family gatherings.   

I was a junior bridesmaid in their wedding when I was 12 and was ecstatic to have 2 sons from his first marriage to also come into my life. David and his kids brought so much life and joy into my family that I ended up choosing in middle school, when asked to write an essay for class on my hero, to write about David.   

As I grew up and matured, my relationship changed with Barbie and David from being that immature little sister to more of a peer and best friend with both.  I have been so lucky to spend lots of time with the Venanzis and for them to not just have such a positive impact on me, but also my 3 children, as well.  They have always been there for me, especially the last 8 years as my life took a very unexpected turn and now, I want to have the opportunity to do something for them to help them feel as loved and cared for as they have made me feel.   

Almost 17 years ago they had a wonderful blessing- Sofia Santina Venanzi.  One of the most phenomenal teens I have ever had the pleasure to spend time with.  Sofia is kind, smart, funny, compassionate, and DRIVEN!!!!  I know she has an extremely bright future with lots of plans for her life and I couldn’t be prouder of her.  

David, Barbie, and Sofia live in the Cooks Forest area in Pennsylvania.  They are the kind of people who will do anything for anyone and have demonstrated that over the years in their community and with their family and loved ones.  David was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia in January of 2020.  Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is a progressive disease that starts slowly and worsens over time.  It is part of the Parkinson’s disorder family that is associated with abnormal deposits of protein called alpha-synuclein in the brain.  These deposits- called Lewy bodies, affect chemicals in the brain whose changes, in turn, can lead to problems with thinking, movement, behavior, and mood.  LBD affects more than 1 million individuals in the United States and is what Robin Williams suffered from.  Currently there is no cure for the disease.  Research is improving our understanding of this condition and there are a lot of new treatments that are being researched that may have promising results, however these are not covered by insurance and can be extremely expensive.   

When David was diagnosed, I felt even more helpless as it was right when Covid was coming into our world.  I wanted to do something for the Venanzis to make their life a little bit better as life had been completely changed for all of them as they knew it.  David is one of the most proud and independent people I know that now is forced to depend on his family and friends for everyday life.  Barbie has become the sole provider financially for their family which includes now trying to juggle an intense career with the needs of an active teen and a husband that requires more care.  Sofia is an incredible teenager that is balancing her straight A classes, a job, athletics, social life and a loving father that she has been forced to find joy in the everyday blessings that so many of us take for granted.   

This is where I decided to act… as some of you know I ran the New York City marathon in 2014 for a charity- Team for Kids.  I never had the intention of doing another as I had checked that off my bucket list and it is a big undertaking in the preparation and training.  However, I decided with what my sister, my brother-in-law, and niece were all dealing with, the trying schedule of training for the race was nothing compared to what they all face every day.  I got into the Chicago Marathon that is going to take place on 10/10/21.  I am doing it in honor of these 3 wonderful people that have all given me and others so much in life.  I know we all have our challenges, especially in the last year and a half with the pandemic turning all our lives upside down.  I am creating a go fund me that gives the option to donate to help the Valiant Venanzis in giving them support to have the ability to fund all the healthcare costs that are so burdensome with this disease.  So many of the treatment options are not covered by insurance and even ones that are still have huge portions that are not covered.  Any donation is appreciated no matter how small… it is an opportunity to help make a family feel the love and support; a simple act of kindness to let them know that they are not in this alone.   

I will post my information before the race day for those of you that would like to track my 26.2-mile trek!   I have been training for 6 months and will continue up until race day… the days that I am exhausted or not feeling mentally up to it, I remind myself of my everyday blessings that for families like the Venanzis have made me pause in my busy life to take the time to appreciate.  A simple good deed can ripple out to create an ocean of prosperity and comfort in the world, especially in a time when we all need it!