Who doesn't love a sweet kid who works hard to give back to society?  My friend, Patricia Cocuzzi was one of those people.  She was my student for the last three years.  She was one of the hardest workers I've ever had in my class.  She was excellent at quality control, and very kind and friendly.  She was autistic. She loved everything to do with Poke Mon. She always had a friendly hello and overcame many, many obstacles in her life.  Her customer service in our student store could rival any store in town. She made me laugh out loud many times with her, "Oh, Ms. Brown" whenever I did something she thought was ridiculous.  I loved her laughed.  She is one of my success stories, getting a job, leaving our program and becoming more independent.  She would call me up to tell me how things were going and how she loved making her own money.  She contributed to our community. The last time I saw her was on January 17th, proudly wearing the shirt we wear in my classroom.  

Sadly, Patricia died unexpectedly after a short battle with a UTI that became septic.  Her family and friends are heartbroken that her light and laughter no longer here.  On top of this, her family is also dealing with the expenses of the hospital and funeral.  If you connected to her story in anyway and are able to give amount, they would be honored and appreciative to have your help.