Friends of Tony: The Power of One
Tony has the good fortune of being surrounded by a caring family, an extraordinary medical team, and a group of supportive friends and co-workers, many of whom have given countless hours of their time to help their friend in need. Tony's parents and his brother are, as anyone would expect them to be, the foundation of his support group. In his day-to-day recovery and rehabilitation, Tony's highly skilled doctors, nurses and the other care-giving professionals continue to do a remarkable job in treating his injuries.
While many people could be recognized for their extreme acts of kindness, this page is dedicated to Tony's friends and family members, who deserve mention for something extraordinary they have done for Tony. As a work in progress, you will learn more about these special people with each update and how they may have personally helped Tony. |
Linda Hayden
Continues to Help Save Lives
While
Tony was still unconscious at University of California Irvine's (UCI)
Medical Center's Burn Intensive Care Unit last year, Linda Hayden
organized two very successful events on his behalf. First, she
spearheaded an airport barbeque-fundraiser and a few days later, oversaw a local blood drive
held in Tony's name for UCI. There was an overwhelming response for
both events, exceeding all attendance and blood donation expectations.
Hundreds turned out for the barbeque that raised thousands of dollars.
This money was placed into a special fund to
help Tony pay for his medical costs. Many friends attending the
barbeque sported either picture buttons of Tony or blue plaid ribbons,
both keepsakes made by Linda, noting the fact that Tony always wore
blue plaid shirts. Just a few days later, over 80 units of blood were
collected in Tony's name for the UCI blood drive. Linda made it a point
to meet everyone involved by personally thanking each donor for making
such an effort to come out. According to UCI, they still get people who
come in from time to time to donate blood in Tony's name. Some people
who were never blood donors before have become regulars, continuing to
help save lives in the community. Linda and her husband, Bob, have done
so many wonderful things for Tony, and were among the most frequent
visitors to see Tony in the hospital. Sadly, Linda had became very ill
herself, and surprisingly, passed away earlier this year. For those
who knew Linda, it wouldn't be unlike her to be lending Tony a helping
hand from above. Thank you Linda and Bob Hayden for everything that you
have done.
Kris Larson
A Local Hero
In September 2004, at the annual Fullerton Airport Day, Kris Larson was a volunteer pilot offering airplane rides for charity. As he began to taxi out for his fifth run, he was held back to let another plane take off. Tony was a passenger on that other flight; he was onboard to test the plane with the pilot before giving rides to the public. Kris watched in horror as Tony's plane came down hard shortly after taking off. It crashed on the public street parallel to the runway. Kris immediately pulled his plane over and with the help of two bystanders, rescued his friend from the smoking wreckage shortly before the right engine burst into flames. Firefighters stabilized Tony, and Kris rode with him to the hospital. Later, Kris flew Tony's parents in from Nevada. He helped to establish a fund to collect donations for his friend of over 20 years, and he continues to visit Tony in recovery. Kris was recognized earlier this year for his heroic act by the American Red Cross with a Hero's Breakfast.
Patti Porto
Tony's Resource Department
If you were to ask Patti Porto, with Toyota Racing Development's Human Resource Department what the letters TRD stood for, some days she might just answer with Tony's Resource Department. That's because even as Tony's medical costs have been soaring sky high, Patti never once yielded in her effort to advocate for his full medical coverage.
Thanks to Patti's outstanding leadership and the stellar performance of the TRD team, countless bureaucratic pile-ups and HMO breakdowns in the system, which by the way might have sidetracked other less determined advocates, were avoided. Patti has kept the paperwork moving in the right direction, making occasional pit stops to check out how Tony and his family are doing. Like other championship racing teams, Patti and the rest of the crew at TRD have been instrumental in helping Tony win the "Medical 500" race for his life.
Regina Sbraccia
From the Hospital to Hospitality
Regina Sbraccia, the Community Manager of Country Woods apartment complex, is one of those rare individuals who can always be counted on to just get things done right. When it came to Tony's transition from hospital to home, we couldn't have found a more proactive, thoughtful and instinctively helpful person than Regina Sbraccia. Going way beyond the call of duty, Regina and the Country Woods staff oversaw every possible detail in making sure the new apartment was wheelchair accessible and properly retrofitted with the necessary equipment for Tony's home care — and they accomplished this in a remarkably short period of time. In short, Regina and her staff made Tony's transition from the hospital to home appear to be an act of extreme hospitality — much to the relief and sincere gratitude of Tony and his family. Tony and Mary Alice have found that home is where the heart is, and Regina's heart is certainly in the right place too. Regina and Country Woods staff: Travis, Rose, Steve and Robert, we thank you all for everything you've done and continue to do on a daily basis.
Tami Tollefson
A Towering Friendship
Over the past few months we have been featuring some of Tony's remarkable friends, and how they've acted with selfless compassion for their friend in need. As a long overdo acknowledgement of Tami Tollefson, a friend of Tony's for over 15 years, we need to recognize the incredible support that she provides to her "best friend" every day of the week.
Tami and Tony share a special bond — as close as any brother or sister. Tony knows that he can count on Tami no matter what the need or circumstance. For example, when the plane crash occurred at Fullerton airport, "Tower Tami" used her 15 years of air traffic tower experience (including five years at this very airport) to make sure that all the necessary logs were accounted for and readily available to the National Transportation Safety Board
investigative team.
Sharing an interest in aviation, and many other things, Tony likes to say that they are the male and female version of each other. According to Tony, they bring out the best in each another.
As seen in the picture on the right, Tami also brings the best to Tony — either at home or in the hospital; her family is always there and ready to help out. In the picture, (from left to right), Tami is accompanied by her niece Johanna ("Joey"), her sister Shelly, and her mother, Darleen. In the foreground is Tami's dog, Reggin, one of the most requested visitors, and who has always had her own special bond with Tony. In fact, sometimes the lines of ownership can get a little blurred for Tony and Tami when it comes to Reggin. This is the perfect depiction of the power of one multiplied: Tami-ly sized.
Sam Albanese
His Biggest Role Yet
The following story hits very close to home as we focus on a member of Tony's family for the first time. This special Power of One acknowledgement goes to Tony's father, Sam Albanese, who is recognized for his selfless efforts in overseeing Tony's day-to-day recovery and rehabilitation. He is a role model for all parents to follow.
Sam's unwavering support for his son's well being has been met with so many challenges, that it would make a lesser parent want to throw in the towel. Not Sam, he will tell you quite unassumingly that any father should do the same. It is through his sheer determination to make Tony well again that many people have come to know him. Sam keeps a constant bedside vigil, helping to ensure Tony receives the best care possible.
Retired and living out-of-state with Tony's mother, Mary, they make a weekly trek across the Nevada border to oversee Tony's ongoing medical and financial needs. More often through, Sam sojourns on and spends weeks on end in California while Mary stays at home to attend to her own health needs in Nevada. Married for almost fifty years now, Mary recently stated, "Without fail, someone either at the hospital or from church would comment or pull me aside to tell me what a wonderful father my husband is." Mary further states, "For a man nearly eighty years old, we don't know where he finds the strength to do what he does." It may be Sam's reactivated work ethic that keeps him going, or it may be his knack for fulfilling a special role.
A short time into retirement, Sam was coaxed by Mary into an open cast call to be "extras" for the movie, Casino, that was being filmed in Nevada at the time. Sam was chosen for a role he never expected to get. He had found time for a second career, or more accurately, a second career found him. His face may look a little familiar (in the picture on the right), that's because he has continued to appear in dozens of television programs and movies with some of Hollywood's most recognized actors over the past fifteen years. Sam recently had to turn down a role that he was handpicked to play on the television hit show, America's Most Wanted. He has an even bigger role right now, as Tony's primary caregiver.
This dual Power of One acknowledgement goes to both Mike E. Blackstone and Dennis "Jesse" James, who, despite their very busy schedules as commercial pilots for American Airlines and incredibly active side businesses, neither has never failed to call or see Tony. We recognize them for the healing qualities they provide to Tony when they visit, and we commend them for spending so much of their time with him at his bedside. When Mike and Dennis visit, Tony's spirits always seem to soar, and for very good reasons.
Mike E. Blackstone
Called Back into Service
Captain Mike E. Blackstone is a pilot with American Airlines.
He has a steadfast belief that Tony will be returning to the workforce at some point later on this year. Mike understands Tony's immense talent for doing what he loves best, working on airplanes. Always focused on the positive, Mike knows Tony more than anyone for his innate aircraft repair skills. Mike hired Tony as his airplane mechanic when his fledgling operation, Air Combat (www.aircombat.com) first took flight nearly twenty years ago at Fullerton Airport in California. Mike came up with the idea of public dog fighting in the air and started the civilian aerobatic outfit in 1986. Since then, Air Combat has done thousands of mock air battles all over the country, and as Mike sees his business expanding, he also sees an important role for Tony to play with Air Combat's expansion in the future.
It is unclear at the moment if Tony will be able to return to work with Toyota Racing Development (TRD), the place where he was employed at the time of the crash. Due to his inability to work last year, Tony was discharged from his job with TRD. He is currently on a COBRA health plan. Mike believes that Tony can still work on airplanes though, even with his hand and back disability. So sure is he of his friend's remarkable repair skills that Mike has already formulated a work schedule for Tony after his surgery and rehabilitation at Rancho Los Amigos, slated for mid March. Tony understands that there will be a relearning process and that he'll have to do more with his left hand. As part of his post rehabilitation, Tony is looking forward to working again on airplanes and to have the tactile experience of simply feeling his tools again.
Mike E. Blackstone and his companion, Denise Jennings, are both regular visitors; they see Tony at least once a week. Denise says that Tony is always in their prayers and they can't wait to see him back at the airport among his friends. Mike has over three decades of experience in aviation, including over twenty thousand hours of flight time accumulated in his 17 years as an American Airlines Captain, where he currently flies a Boeing 757/767. Mike has logged 3,000 hours of aerobatics time, 1,500 hours in a Pitts bi-plane, and 2,000 in a Marchetti. Mike has a passion second to none for flying and teaching others to fly.
Dennis "Jesse" James
On Wings of Potential
Dennis James is founder of Young Aces, a youth-outreach program that takes at-risk teens and lets them fly a fighter plane with a professional pilot as mentor.
The participants are first given a 30-minute ground lesson on basic flight theory and flight safety. They are then told what their flight would consist of, before being fitted with flight equipment and taken on a 40-minute flight to perform a series of aerobatic maneuvers. With Young Aces, Dennis takes his love of flying beyond the clouds and into the hearts of those whose lives might be changed by such an unforgettable experience. He manages his time between mentoring troubled teens and his job as a pilot for American Airlines. As a captain for the world's largest airline, Dennis flies MD-80s out of San Francisco International Airport. Amazingly, he finds time each month to see Tony, often traveling from Northern California for the day to visit his friend. The positive influence Dennis has had on Tony throughout his recovery is simply immeasurable.
When Tony first met Dennis in 1996, Young Aces was just starting up.
Tony was so impressed with the work that Dennis was trying to do at the time that he "voluntarily worked as the Young Aces mechanic." To help get Young Aces off the ground, Dennis sold his car to buy a Marchetti, an Italian-built single engine two-seater aerobatic airplane. This was just like the ones being flown at Air Combat. With Tony handling maintenance and repairs for the Marchetti, and Dennis onboard as pilot-mentor, Young Aces was soon to be a success. In fact, so successful was their work together in the first couple of years that Tony was honored with a pair of Volunteer of the Year awards for outstanding service and dedication to the program. Gradually, there were private donations of money for upkeep of the plane, and other pilots were eventually brought onboard to help run classes. At this point, Dennis was able to buy another car. Young Aces has now expanded to four states and nearly four hundred young people have participated in the program.
Every step along Tony's path toward recovery, he receives encouragement from Dennis. We are watching yet another life change for the better by an unforgettable experience of friendship.
This special Power of One acknowledgement goes to more than just one person, it's for everyone who was involved in Tony's care and recovery at St. Jude Medical Center.
Saint Jude Medical Center
The Spirit of St. Jude
We are grateful to everybody at St. Jude Medical Center who took such good care of Tony during his stay there. For six-months, everyone was committed to helping Tony through an undeniably difficult healing process. In particular, members of Tony's wound care team were in his words, "really good people." They worked diligently each day on Tony, helping him to fight off a number of infections that were close to killing him back in September. Similarly, the administrative crew led by Sue Potts was constantly advocating for Tony's cause. Sue seemed to spend more time on Tony than just about any other patient at St. Jude's. Both Sue Potts and Dr. Margaret Slaven were instrumental in getting Tony to recognize the positive progress he was making towards recovery. Among the nurses, there was Rosa, one of Tony's favorites. Rosa knew of his fondness for airplanes, so she helped to create an aviation theme in his hospital room. There were immeasurable other acts of kindness from the nurses that went undocumented, but not unappreciated.
They say that there is a spirit at St. Jude's that is different from that at other hospitals. People there are genuinely committed to the mission set by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, and the quality and compassion of the care they provide definitely shows. They call this special feeling The Spirit of St. Jude. Six months is a long time to spend in the hospital. Thankfully, everyone at St. Jude's was up to the task of caring for Tony in a deeply committed way. The founding values that the Sisters began with - service, excellence, dignity and justice - were clearly practiced on a daily basis so that Tony could have a healthier tomorrow.
What Were They Thinking?
Just before Tony left St. Jude's, the staff prepared a special card for him (as seen in the picture below). By moving your mouse (via the pointer) over each of the names that appear in the box on the right, you can read the staff's comments and see what they were thinking.
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Jackie Rossetti
Helping to Turn Scars into Stars
Jackie Rossetti is an extraordinary friend to Tony. She is a rare shining star in his life, providing Tony with encouragement, especially through the darkest of times.
She is a constant reminder that there are endless possibilities for his life. Jackie has touched Tony's heart and soul in many ways.
As a dedicated friend, Jackie is generous with her time, often visiting him for hours on end. When she spends time with Tony, she's a real inspiration by just being the person she is, which is warm, caring and a fellow aviation enthusiast. Jackie works at Fullerton Airport, and has been helping to lay the foundation for his return, starting with the next Airport Day festival in September. Jackie's friendship warms Tony's heart, as she has been instrumental in keeping his potential from going cold.
As a spiritual sister, Jackie says, "We cannot yet imagine the great places God will take Tony in the years to come." The physical and emotional scars that Tony has had to endure are being turned into a new purpose in life, according to Jackie.
She believes that "God turns scars into stars," as she quotes Dr. Robert Schuller, founder of the star-shaped Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove.
With enough encouragement, Jackie feels that Tony will come out of this stronger than ever. "Tony has many scars," says Jackie, "when God is done with him he will glow like..." (the picture on the right)
Other quotes from Dr. Schuller resonate so clearly with Jackie and perhaps with millions of other people from all over the world. We can only wonder if Dr. Schuller's televised messages of encouragement and hope are still traveling through space after all of these years. Has this message reached the distant stars that we see here on Earth today?
Dave McLerran
The Right Friend for the Job
For anyone who knows Tony, they can attest to his most important belief that you can never have too many friends or too many tools.
Stamped with names like Snap-On, Craftsman, Mac, Matco, and Huskie, among others, these top-of-the-line brands showed that Tony always had the right tool for one of his many jobs. However, gaining access to one of his half dozen toolboxes is reserved for only his most trusted and like-minded of friends. Fellow craftsman and longtime friend, Dave McLerran, has the right combination.
Dave McLerran is one of the many people in Tony's life who can always be counted on to help out. Either by donating his natural talents as a master craftsman to build something, or by offering helpful advice to his friends, Dave is a reminder of the goodness in people. For example, when Tony was in the hospital, Dave would always come by to visit. Often arriving after a full day at work, he stayed long after visiting hours had ended, just so that he could put in quality time. According to Tony, Dave's wife Nellie was always supportive; there were countless hours given to helping others too. Dave is someone who truly embodies the age-old axiom, a friend in need is a friend indeed.
If you were to ask Tony, he'll probably tell you that having the right tool for the job means that there will be a lifetime guarantee with a top-of-the-line brand. But having the right friends in your life like Dave McLerran can provide a lifetime benefit too.
Stephanie Stiles
Lean on Me
Stephanie Stiles knows her purpose in life. Ask her what it is and she will probably tell you that it's to serve her Lord. With the power of her faith so strong, some have called her "Church Lady", but she is also one of the funniest and kindhearted people you could ever know. Ask Tony about Stephanie and he will tell you that she is a faithful friend and a tremendous inspiration to him.
A friend for over ten years, Stephanie has taken it upon herself to help Tony and his family in many ways. Like the time she led the recruitment effort to get volunteer movers from Yorba Linda Friends Church (www.ylfc.org) to help move Tony to a new apartment in the summer of 2005. At the time, a sudden heat wave was upon the country, but this didn’t stop Stephanie and her fellow Friends Church parishioner, Fred Murkle, to take up the challenge. According to Stephanie though, there was never going to be a problem finding a small group of movers and a truck or two. She simply thanked God for helping out.
As told in the inspirational poem, Footprints, Stephanie relates to Tony about the experience of walking with God on a beach. In our darkest times, when there is only one set of footprints in the sand, the poem explains how God is actually carrying us. And just like the lyrics to the popular song, Lean on Me, Tony has friends like Stephanie, her family, the many friends at Friends Church and God to help him carry on. With her own lean on me experiences to draw on, Stephanie says that, "Time heals all wounds, and a close walk with my Lord does wonders for my soul." She also said, "Tony has so much to look forward to as he heals emotionally, physically and spiritually." According to Stephanie, "Tony is catching on."
Thank you for your faith, Stephanie. Thank you for your strength. For if we could all be a Stephanie to our families and friends, this world would be a better place!
This special Power of One acknowledgement goes to two families, the Jessee's and the Hughes. Their commitment to helping Tony and his family runs through two generations.
The Jessee Family
Family Values
Mark Jessee is a former classmate of Tony's younger brother, Steve. A friend to both Tony and Steve, Mark grew up in Whittier just a few blocks away.
He and his family have maintained a life-long friendship with the Albanese's over the years. Like the good neighbors they are, the Jessee's have responded to help Tony in their typical fashion of thoughtful acts of kindness.
Mark's mother, Donna, would send gift certificates to Tony for his favorite foods, and Mark would often visit Tony in the hospital or at home and would keep in touch by calling and through email. Mark's sister, Keri Odum, commented on the Orange County Register website, where an article about Tony's return to flight was featured, "My brother, Mark, has been friends with Tony and his brother, Steve, since high school. I remember Tony as being quite the character and now I will remember him as being quite an inspiration."
Mark and other members of his family have also responded to help Tony when he was at UCI's intensive burn unit. They were part of the record-breaking blood drive held on Tony's behalf. With an ever-watchful eye on the medical frontier, Mark and Donna have sent newspaper articles and pages from magazines about the latest developments in stem cell research to Tony's family. They would include yellow post-its with personal messages like, "I hope this helps." Like the Jessee's, Tony's family prays for a medical breakthrough that will help to restore some level of mobility to Tony, further adding to the quality of his life.
The Jesse's maintain their life-long friendship with Tony and his family even though they don't see each other all that often.
The Hughes Family
Turning Lemons into Lemonade
The Hughes family has made a difference in Tony's life ever since learning about the plane crash from Tony's parents three years ago. Sympathizing with what their friends, Sam and Mary were going through as a result of Tony's accident in California, the Hughes responded with a help thy neighbor call to action from their home state of Nevada.
Consisting of Rodger and Cathy and their two sons, Charles and Carson, the Hughes have responded to Tony's financial needs and helped through the power of prayer. The Hughes warmly welcomed Tony to the Las Vegas community this month. He finally got to thank them personally for all of their efforts.
Last year Rodger and Cathy made a very generous contribution to Tony's fund on behalf of the entire family. And for his First Communion project, Charles gave Tony's mom and dad a prayer book that included a prayer for Tony to get well. More recently, the two brothers, age 9 and 5, and a couple of friends ran a successful lemonade stand to help with Tony's assistance dog this past June. According to Cathy, "They had such a lovely event for Tony. We had Charles, Carson, Teddy and Brenna on staff. The kids worked hard selling lemonade and fruit snacks." Cathy further stated, "People were very generous when the kids explained the cause and they raised $98!!!! Pretty good for the first try!" As the story goes, shortly after paying one dollar for a glass of lemonade, a customer asked who Tony was. When Charles told the story about the plane crash, the dollar bill was very quickly replaced with a twenty-dollar bill. Talk about turning lemons into lemonade!
Sam and Mary are considered family to the Hughes'. Sam and Mary continue to be involved in the lives of Charles and his younger brother, Carson.
Thank you Jessee's, thank you Hughes' families for reaching out and saying that you cared. There is a quote from Mark Twain that is very fitting here, "Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
An aknowledgement to:
Richard Quattrocchi
The Albanese family is grateful to Richard Quattrocchi for the incredible assistance he provided. A friend of Tony's for 23 years, Richard became the unofficial director of communications by providing round-the-clock reports about Tony's condition through email and by making regular updates on the TonyAlbaneseFund.com website. Richard encouraged everyone to reach out and do whatever they could to help his long-time friend in any possible way. He was the driving force behind the online auction, bringing in thousands of dollars to the special fund that he had also helped to create for Tony's cause. While he may not be a pilot, Richard has certainly earned other kinds of wings by his tireless response in a time of need.
(Others coming soon)
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Whether by Water, Wings or Wheels ... Life Is A Journey, Not A Destination.