Sonny Gambino (5 years old) was in a sledding accident in February 2021 in a playground in Needham. He was sledding with his friends and he hit a tree. The accident caused a severe head trauma which resulted in Sonny needing emergency brain surgery. Sonny is back at home now and is recovering, but this is going to be a long recovery journey for Sonny and the Gambino family. Sonny will need the continued support from both Physical and Speech Therapists, as well as the help from the concussion clinic at Spaulding Rehab Centre.
The family is so thankful for the support they received from Needham Fire and Police Department in their response to the accident. And also support they have received from family, family and the local community.
The Gambino family feel really fortunate, but they want to raise awareness about this accident to prevent further families from experiencing a similar devastating accidents. Therefore, they would like the use these funds in a few different ways. This fund will largely be used as a ‘Paediatric head trauma fund’ for families and kids dealing with the life changing effects of head injuries. On top of this, they feel very strongly about starting a ‘Safe sledding Initiative’. This would involve spreading awareness into the importance of wearing a helmet when sledding and it will also be used to help grant access to families who need them. In addition, they would like to donate some money to the Needham Fire and Police Department.