Our family story published on Cleveland.com on 5/24/24….
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2024/05/kindland-finding-kindness-and-hope-in-the-cruel-and-as-yet-incurable-als-neurogenerative-disease.html?outputType=am
Please join us by becoming a part of TEAM POLITO! I'm Michael, team captain, and the younger brother of Tony who passed away from this terrible disease on June 27, 2021.
In our large Sicilian -Irish Family of 12 children, Tony was child #11 and I was #12. Not only was he my brother, he was my best friend. We shared everything including a reference to ourselves as “Wallendas” — tightrope walkers without nets. We shared how we had begun our medical and legal careers without “financial nets”. Even though he is gone, I want to share with you how blessed Tony was and how blessed we are as a Family.
Tony had many nicknames, including Dr. Anthony G. Polito, D.P.M., but what I called him was “TB”. TB stood for Tony Baloney, because Tony was always playing a practical joke or telling some long tale where you could not believe a word he said. Tony was quick witted and really enjoyed laughing and having fun. Our father used to say Tony had a “beautiful mind with a silly attitude.” Some might say he really enjoyed life.
Tony was diagnosed with the insidious disease known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, more commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease in September 2018. From that moment, Team Polito was formed and set into motion. Guardian Angel #1 - our sister Maggie, a registered nurse, sprang into action providing whatever assistance Tony needed at his Podiatry practice. Tony did his best to keep practicing, but it eventually proved futile.
In the fall of 2019, came Guardian Angel #2 - our sister Rose, another RN, who had just retired from University Hospitals as a PACU Nurse, to become Tony’s full-time caregiver. Rose didn’t just provide care for Tony, she took him to ALS Healing Conferences, and as his constant cheerleader she gave Tony hope on a daily basis.
As Tony’s ALS progressed and he required more care, in the fall of 2020, Guardian Angel #3 - our brother Mark, who had experience as an orderly at Fairview General Hospital years ago, volunteered to become Tony’s nighttime aid. If anyone knew Mark and Tony’s relationship, it was an amazing sight to see - Mark cracking up Tony every night and bringing some much needed levity to a serious situation.
Guardian Angel #4 - our sister Liz, yet another RN,provided Tony with the guidance only an oldest sister can give. She filled in valiantly where needed.
The legal arm of Team Polito consisted of our brothers John, Bert, and myself, along with Tony’s partner Jen Garretson. We handled the many legal and disability issues that cropped up.
A word we used a lot after Tony’s diagnosis was HOPE. Hope is defined as trust in another extended into the future. Many of you gave Tony hope to continue his battle with ALS.
When COVID-19 overtook our lives, we had to find ways to give Tony HOPE in alternate ways, and our brother Bert organized weekly Zoom calls with Tony to do just that.
We quickly learned that we had a very large “net” in our big, beautiful family that many do not have. We recognize that not all families have the number of siblings or the resources to provide the kind of net necessary to battle an insidious and powerful disease such as ALS. From Tony’s diagnosis in 2018 to his death, we realized how very strong that net had become. That net was woven with a lot of faith, a lot of hope, and a lot of love.
Please join Team Polito as we use our net to help others on their journey with ALS. This is an opportunity for us to work together to support those affected by ALS and to spread awareness of the urgency to find treatments and a cure. Join the movement to bring help and hope today!