Success Stories - Nick Tagliaferro
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Holiday Message from Bill Bartolini, Chief Development Officer, RFB&D
At RFB&D, we continue to be amazed by the character and persistence of those we assist. The story of the Tagliaferro family, below, is just one example of many. During this holiday season, we not only give thanks, but also reflect on the differences that timely and meaningful gifts can make in redirecting the course of our lives.
Nick was one of the top high school gymnasts in the country. Gymnastics was his life. When tragedy interrupted his dream, RFB&D was able to be a resource—to offer an alternative path to success.
Nick's remarkable recovery and rededication is a credit to him, his family, and their community. At RFB&D, we don't make the learning successes; we make the learning successes possible. Thanks to the support of donors and volunteers like you, Nick was not only able to graduate high school, but actually go on to college, and study to help others needing physical therapy.
This holiday, we hope you will treasure all the true gifts that each of us is given—and that you will continue to support us in making even more holidays joyous and memorable.
Please consider making a year-end gift
RFB&D Aids a Student on the Road to Recovery
Flashback:
April 2008 - Nick Tagliaferro was a high school student looking ahead
to a bright future, when a shocking accident changed his trajectory in ways
no one could have foreseen. Fortunately, modern medicine and the gift of
RFB&D's audio books have combined to ease his path to recovery and success.
"Even with Nick's brain injury, he was able to graduate on time
with great grades . . . and I know firsthand that the services of RFB&D
enabled him to do that . . . on behalf of Nick and our family, we'd like
to say a big 'thank you' to RFB&D!"
- Jeanie Tagliaferro, Nick's mother
A high-achieving junior at Washington Township High School in Sewell, N.J., Nick was also an academic All-American gymnast—ranked 51st in the nation. During a gymnastics competition, Nick sustained a severe concussion. This brought on a host of physical and cognitive problems, from severe light sensitivity and serious 24-hour headaches to vertigo; in fact, Nick could not even walk well on his own, or drive. He would stutter and sometimes even use the wrong words, could not read or tell time, had left-side weakness, and his hands would drop things. He endured six months of therapies.
"It was so hard for me to watch my son—who had been so strong, who could perform an iron cross on the rings—instantly not be able to put one foot in front of the other and walk a straight line," recalls Jeanie Tagliaferro, Nick's mother.
Meanwhile, working extensively with audio books from RFB&D, Nick completed his junior and senior years of high school education at home, taking just one class at school during his senior year. By all accounts, RFB&D was a major factor in changing his outlook and future prospects for the better.
"In an instant, everything Nick had been working towards was taken away from him," says Jeanie Tagliaferro. "It was very important for Nick to be able to graduate on time. And he did so with great grades—even with his brain injury! I know firsthand that the services of RFB&D enabled him to do that.
Nick continues to use RFB&D's services at Rowan University. He is working hard and wants to study physical therapy—I guess because he recognizes how much it has helped him!
"From the bottom of my heart, I want to say a big 'thank you' on behalf
of Nick and our family!"
