They made us cheer, cry, and beam with pride.
They are the “Think Possible” stories that defined Gaylord Specialty Healthcare in 2023.
As the year draws to an end, we proudly look back at 20 of our most popular stories of success and resilience:
1. We are the champions! Amid much celebratory fanfare, Connecticut’s only sled hockey team, The Gaylord Wolfpack, proudly brought home the 2023 national sled hockey championship.
2. Long-time Connecticut race director John Bysiewicz shared his Think Possible journey to recovery following a life-altering hit-and-run accident.
3. A catastrophic injury nearly cost legendary USA Hockey official Marty Tangredi his leg, but a promise made by his Gaylord team got him off the bench - and back on the ice.
4. With prestigious awards, television features, and a nationally published article, it was a banner year for Gaylord’s unique Exercise for Life program.
5. Firefighter, stroke survivor, and eternal optimist Paul Turner shared his advice to others dealing with life-altering situations: “Double down, bet on yourself, your strength, and try to get back up again.”
6. “I didn’t think it could happen to me,” warns Drew Pisano, who sustained a traumatic brain injury when he hit a deer on his motorcycle. “Always wear a helmet.”
7. After surviving a severe case of COVID-19, 91-year-old Gaylord Hospital patient-turned-volunteer Dino Fuoco asks, “How do you pay anyone back for a new lease on life?”
8. As a stroke recovery advocate, beloved former CT news reporter LaSalle Blanks has inspired people worldwide: “The comeback is greater than the setback.”
9. Jessica Branson’s life went from “60 to zero in a heartbeat” when Guillain-Barre Syndrome left her unable to move. Today, Jessica is a fierce advocate for other GBS survivors.
10. Surprise! The Hartford and Move United gifted adaptive athlete Chelsea Michaud a new custom-fit tennis wheelchair. See why this gift has special meaning for Chelsea.
11. Nineteen-year-old Natalie Matarazzo says she “came a long way” from sustaining a spinal cord injury in a devastating car accident to conquer the Gaylord Gauntlet as the 2023 Featured Adaptive Athlete.
12. A biking accident brought Mike Von Emmenes to Gaylord Hospital for a month. A year later, he completed an Iron Man race. Learn how Mike gives back to the sport he loves as a guide with Gaylord Sports Association’s paratriathlon program.
13. They’re hooked: Military veterans enjoyed an open-water fishing tournament hosted by the Gaylord Sports Association.
14. A traumatic brain injury inspired father-daughter volunteer duo Ron and Sue to give back in gratitude for “a miracle.”
15. An anonymous patient’s wish to spread holiday cheer came true when Amazon delivered holiday joy to all patients at Gaylord Hospital.
16. After Anthony Picchione sustained a spinal cord injury in a dirt bike accident, the once-nationally ranked motocross rider defied all odds to ride again.
17. Fifty handwritten thank-you notes symbolized Anthony Browne’s gratitude after an undiagnosed illness stole his mobility.
18. When life became “off-balance” for Joan and Milton, the married couple found relief from vertigo and balance issues with Gaylord Neurorehabilitation Services.
19. ‘It only takes one wrong dive to change your life forever,” warns Joe Graham, who says he learned the lesson “the hard way.”
20. Suzy, 31, was days away from an overseas trip to pick up her wedding rings when a ruptured AVM caused a life-threatening hemorrhage. Despite the “one-in-a-million” odds against her, Suzy survived and married her fiancé Asher on Gaylord’s campus.