After a lawnmower accident resulted in the amputation of his left foot, Keirsten Marsico’s little son Joey consoled her by telling her that everything will be alright.
“I was crying naturally when he came out of surgery that night, and he just held my head and said, ‘Mommy, what’s wrong?’” Marsico told PEOPLE his story. “I told him, buddy, I’m really sad.”
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Joey, who was only a few weeks away from turning four, was watching his grandfather Mark DeLuca mow the lawn outside their Whitehall, New York, home on Thursday, May 9, when he made a snap decision that put him in danger.
Keirsten talked about her “active little boy,” the youngest of her two children, saying that “he really loves tractors and enjoys helping with the lawn.” “He approached my dad, who was riding the lawnmower, from behind. My dad threw the mower in reverse before my mom could get to him, and everything happened all at once,” she remembered. “The events that led to what happened were a series of events.”
“It’s been tough on all of us, especially my parents who feel absolutely awful,” Keirsten continues. Specifically, my dad is distraught.
The family believes that Mark DeLuca’s quick use of a tourniquet probably saved Joey’s life. After being transported to Boston Children’s Hospital, Joey had many foot procedures before it was decided to amputate.
Despite the difficulties in his recuperation, Joey’s maturity and upbeat attitude have astounded his family and friends, as well as his caregivers and physicians.
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“What a strong little guy,” Keirsten says. At times, conversing with him is like to conversing with a teenager. He has excellent adjustment.
Joey’s father, Joseph, remarks, “He’s always been that way—very understanding, perceptive of people’s emotions, and adept at coping with situations.” Joseph is reflecting on his son’s exceptional maturity. In addition, he speaks a lot and has a vocabulary that is above average for his age.
The Marsicos, along with their autistic 6-year-old daughter Gianna, settled into a new routine during Joey’s almost month-long hospital stay.
“We tried to maintain a sense of normalcy for my daughter because she attends school,” Keirsten says. “My spouse and I decided that one of us should stay at home with her because she needs routine.”
Joseph stayed stubbornly by Joey’s side, while Keirsten stayed at home. “He’s still by Joey’s side,” Keirsten underlines.
Keirsten reflects on a touching incident by saying, “The other day, as I was leaving Joey, I was crying, and he consoled me again.” I told him it was okay and that I didn’t have to be sad as he wiped away my tears. “I know, but I don’t like leaving you,” I said to him.
The Marsicos take comfort in the knowledge that Joey’s accident was a terrible exception and in their Catholic faith.
“My worst fear is that people will hear this story and think, ‘Why weren’t they watching him?’ or ‘How could they let this happen?’” admits Keirsten, expressing her deepest concern. As his mother, I’ve struggled with it.
She does, however, take solace in her faith, thinking that Joey’s experiences have a greater meaning. “I have to constantly tell myself that everything is happening for a reason. Even if we can’t see it now, God has a plan for him, Keirsten says.
She says, “I would tell someone else it’s an accident if they were in our shoes.” “Accidents happen, and focusing on ‘why’ won’t help—it will only make you feel bad about yourself.”
Keirsten highlights how resilient their family has been in the face of hardship. “We must change and get over what is going on. Our priorities are helping Joey and continuing to be a solid family unit.
After being away from home for almost a month following the accident, Joey was released from the hospital on June 5. Earlier last week, he had his fourth birthday celebration.
His parents are hopeful that he will heal and that he will soon get a prosthetic fitted. They are in awe of Joey’s capacity to communicate his emotions and offer consolation to others during this trying time.
Warmly, Joseph says, “He’s always been such a special little boy.”
McDonald’s Flipped Its Arches Upside Down To Make A Powerful Statement
March 8th is “a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women,” according to the official International Women’s Day website. Additionally, the day serves as a call to action to accelerate gender parity. 2018 saw a McDonald’s in Lynwood, California, that may have given you the impression that you were seeing ghosts.
When you glanced through your Facebook feed the following morning, you might have spotted something that looked like a glitch, or even that you were in an episode of Black Mirror. It was not an error; none of those notions were accurate.
It wasn’t a trick of the eyes: the iconic McDonald’s arches emblem was inverted. It had nothing to do with their ongoing Twitter beef with Wendy’s, and it just looked like a huge, bubbly “W.” In “celebration of women everywhere,” McDonald’s revealed that the emblem has been reversed.
Although the sign at the Lynwood, California restaurant may have already been flipped, McDonald’s turned its arches inside out on Thursday, March 8, International Women’s Day, across all of its social media platforms. Workers wore hats and shirts with the “W”-style emblem, and 100 retailers countrywide had unique packaging with the logo on them.
Wendy Lewis, a spokesman for McDonald’s, provided some context.
Wendy Lewis, the chief diversity officer at McDonald’s, stated, “We flipped our iconic arches for International Women’s Day for the first time in our brand history in honor of the extraordinary accomplishments of women everywhere and especially in our restaurants.”
Lauren Altmin, a McDonald’s spokesperson, continued, “The new logo honors women everywhere.” Altmin said, “We have a long history of supporting women in the workplace and giving them the chance to grow and succeed.” “We are proud to share that, in the United States, six out of ten restaurant managers are women today. We take pride in our diversity.” Every social media platform used by the company saw a change in the logo, and 100 restaurants got unique “packaging, crew shirts, hats, and bag stuffers.”
Similar steps have been made by other brands to recognize women. With the launch of the “Jane Walker” bottle, Johnnie Walker donated $1 from each bottle to organizations that support women. Gender-related discussions are still highly relevant in popular culture. And vice president of Johnnie Walker Stephanie Jacoby stated, “We firmly feel there is no better time than now to introduce our Jane Walker icon and contribute to trailblazing organizations that share our mission.” “We are honored to celebrate everyone’s contributions to the advancement of gender equality as well as the numerous accomplishments of women.”
Brawny started a campaign called “Strength Knows No Gender,” in which she substituted female characters for the Brawny Man and gave $100,000 to Girls, Inc., an organization that assists young women in developing their financial and leadership abilities. McDonald’s did not, however, declare that it would be contributing to this effort.
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