They have one son serving in the Navy and another one serving in the Marines. Angelo and Paolo’s parents missed their boys, but wholeheartedly supported their sons’ service and dedication to our country. Their oldest son, Angelo, finished his basic training for the Navy in Illinois and then transferred to a Florida base. In Florida, he started his studies in Cyber Security Command. Not too long after his relocation, Angelo had a seizure which developed some complications as the weeks went by. He started experiencing severe headaches, loss of speech, and difficulty with comprehension. Repeatedly visiting the hospital emergency departments, he struggled for several weeks until he was admitted to the hospital. His worried parents rushed from their home in Illinois to be at his side.
Still searching for the proper diagnosis of his illness, he was transferred to a Chicago hospital where he was finally diagnosed with Anti-NMDA receptor autoimmune encephalitis (aka Brain on Fire). Once diagnosed, the medical team provided proper medical treatment, which provided some relief from his neurological and psychiatric symptoms. His health stabilized, Angelo was transferred to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for further recovery and intensive rehabilitation.
Through this long and exhausting journey, his parents were at his side, encouraging and supporting him through all the therapies and treatments. His father took an unpaid leave from work to be at his son’s side and provided transportation to medical and therapy appointments. SALUTE was proud to provide this devoted family with mortgage payments so they could be with Angelo during his illness and rehabilitation. Angelo is making good steady progress towards a full recovery and his dad is able to go back to his job confident that his son is on the path to wellness.
“Your very generous gift allowed us to be beside him throughout his journey, without worrying about our mortgage bills for a few months.”
Angelo’s Parents
“Thank you so much for all your support in my recovery and for taking care of me and my family. Know that you are so appreciated and that your impact has changed my life in so many good ways.” Angelo G.