My son, Pinnochio

by: Jon Galluccio

Thu Jan 20, 2011 at 11:16:58 PM EST

Promoted by Rosi - This is a little outside our usual subject matter. It's not directly about politics in the way most of our diaries are. But damn it, I love this diary. I've read it 5 times, and this kid is amazing - and so are the teachers and kids surrounding him. And his parents. Good diary for a chilly Sunday night.

My son Adam is a member of the Manchester Regional High School Falcons, Freshman Basketball Team. He is officially listed as manager/alternate as he is developmentally disabled and although extremely passionate about basketball, he does not possess the ability to reach the skill level required to be a regular member of the team.

Regardless of that, Coach Forestieri and Coach Sponzilli, have made Adam's dreams come true. In all but one game, Coach Forestieri and the other coaches have put Adam in to actual play towards the end of the game. Adam's teammates have given up opportunities to win, in order to allow Adam time in the game. Adam has a career of 4 pts now!!

I am writing this today because their "record" is horrible so no one is paying attention to, what I know has to be, the team with the best sportsmanship and humanity in the league.

Today, Manchester has a home game against Elmwood Park and the "Make a Difference Club" a club for the Bergen County Special Services Program housed at Manchester (Adam's program) will be there to support Adam and the Falcons. Not only has the athletic department at Manchester Regional High School gone above and beyond to help my son but in doing so, they are teaching important life lessons beyond the scope of a traditional basketball program. They deserve to be recognized as the outstanding leaders they are.

Also, Adam's teammates deserve recognition for patiently providing Adam with support and guidance and never letting him feel that he is anything but equal to them as a player and member of the team. (Let me remind you these are freshman boys behaving so humanely, so beautifully)

As a side note: "The Make a Difference Club" is a club formed for special needs students to participate in afterschool activities. After initial announcements went out asking for the support of the mainstream student community to join this club, the response was overwhelming. This was Sandi Cortazzo's dream when we approached her about possible after school activities for Adam and it has been tremendously successful.

My husband, Michael, and I felt that today is so special because these two groups are coming together today and what a special gift we have as Adam's parents to be able to part of it. Adam, a member of the "club" as well as a "basketball player", is fulfilling his dreams in ways few people can understand.

I think of him as Pinocchio because all we wants so desperately is to be "a real normal boy" and Manchester Regional High School along with Bergen County Special Services, together, are his "blue fairy" and have made his dreams come true.

Jon Galluccio :: My son, Pinnochio

Tags: Autism, everyday heroes, high school, basketball, (All Tags)

Print Friendly View

Send As Email

My son, Pinnochio | 6 comments

Basketball player on the team (0.00 / 0)

This is just a wonderful story.

My father, who was a tremendous athlete, used to say that team sports could focus kids to learn to trust each other, and be dependable for their teammates who were counting on them. That it could teach them to produce their own best results, and invest them in the excellence of other kids. And focus them to listen to and appreciate others' talents and strengths, which come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, ability-levels and skill-sets. Sounds like your son gets - and gives - all of that.

Cheers for your son's coaches, teachers and advisors; seems like the have a handle on what real winning in sports is. Cheers for his teammates. Cheers for your son's successes, great and small. And cheers to his parents; he's a lucky kid.

It's not a particularly snappy signature, but here's what I think we need in the next NJ Democratic State Chair.

by: Rosi Efthim @ Fri Jan 21, 2011 at 05:22:04 AM UTC

Adam Galluccio is my hero (4.00 / 1)

watching Adam shredding the NOM haters with his sweet, graceful spirit...(see below) and now THIS!!!

activist for hire.

by: Jay Lassiter @ Fri Jan 21, 2011 at 12:47:43 PM UTC

From Pinocchio to the Velveteen Rabbit (0.00 / 0)

Said the Fairy to the Rabbit: "You were always real, because the boy loved you."

God bless.

by: Thurman Hart @ Sun Jan 23, 2011 at 21:12:21 PM UTC

Thanks for a lovely message... (4.00 / 1)

Ironically I have found that our teens and younger people are sometimes more sensitive and supportive than some of the so called adults.

As the Director of a non-profit agency I have seen what young people do for those with "less". I am awestruck by the kindness of young people and some of our "haters" out there can learn from the "children".

by: sandy23 @ Mon Jan 24, 2011 at 01:55:35 AM UTC

Our Children are Our Grace (0.00 / 0)

Social critique based on first-hand observations is more focused and effective than even the most confrontational rhetoric.

Thanks Rosi, it was definitely worth the read.

by: Got Kids @ Mon Jan 24, 2011 at 11:31:40 AM UTC

A wonderful story - and there is a very Blue Jersey-relevant angle here, too (4.00 / 1)

Rosi, thank you for front-paging this - and Jon, thank you so much for writing this beautiful diary about your beautiful Adam. Your whole family continues to amaze - how we love you all.

The political angle:

Same-sex couples, and single parents (both LGBT and straight) disproportionately become, by joyous choice, the parents of special needs children. Many, many articles have been written about this - there are many reasons. Among them, nontraditional families don't care so much about society's version of what's perfect - they just want to provide love to those who need love.

And aren't those the most perfect families of all?

Our society should be celebrating these families rather than punishing them through the deprivation of marriage equality.

by: Steven Goldstein, Garden State Equality chair @ Mon Jan 24, 2011 at 15:52:00 PM UTC