TOP : JIM ALCORN ; RIGHT : MITSU YASUKAWA |
“ I always explain it the same way . It ’ swhen the spinal fluid tries to pass through yourbrain through apassageway called ventricles . Mine was blocked , so the ventricles just kept getting bigger and bigger and it was pushingagainst my brainand that was pushing against my skulland eyes , that ’ swhy my headaches were getting progressively worse ,” she says .
The only optionistodrill holeatthe top of the head , release the fluid and hope that it doesn ’ t reoccur .
“[ Surgery ] was ablur ,” Tinasays . “ What Iremember most is being petrified and dependent on my husband to keep me strong . And Iremember the sigh of relief when the doctor came toward us with asmile on his face that it went well .”
DiLascio went back to school when seventh grade began . Doctors eventually cleared her for physical activities , so when she entered high school , she tried volleyball her freshmanyear , then winter track . Running became her passion .
“ I had agoal in my mind that Iwanted to go under three minutes in the 800 and when Idid that , Iwas like , ‘ wow , Ican set agoal and Ican work really hard every day to make that goal ,’” says DiLascio .“ Ienjoyed the feeling of running and when Iwas doingit , Iwasn ’ t worried about anything . Iwas just thinking : keep going and when Iwas done Ifelt great .”
Now , Giana is afull-time runner . She makes up routes in her hometown and her favorite summer activity is crosscountry camp .
“ She is just amazing ,” says Ryan . “ I guess you have to go through something like this to get this way , but this girl has asmile on her face everysingle minute . We couldbedoingaspeed workout and she might be about to pass out , but she ’ s smiling . She is someone that Hasbrouck Heights should make an exampleout of , as aperson you want to be .”
But DiLascio ’ s tale isn ’ t complete without The Timberlake Story .
First , some background , theDiLascio family likes to try to win concert tickets via radio station contests . About ayear after the surgery , Tina packed up the family to pick up some tickets she had
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won for aBlondie concert . While waiting to get the tickets , performer Juston Timberlake and his entourage entered .
“ It was acrowded lobby and the kids are with me and they ’ reall complaining and Iturnaround and Isee Justin ,” says Tina . “ He kept on walking and I ’ m like , ‘ oh my God ,’ but his manager is like , ‘ no , no ,’ to Justin because he stopped to wave . They ’ re pullinghim away and I ’ m
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AHEAD OF THE PACK Giana DiLascio finishes second in the North 1Group 1 raceatthe statesectionals crosscountry meet in November 2016 .
like ,‘ but my daughter is aMake-A-Wish child !’ He stopped his guys and came rightover .”
Timberlake took apicture withDiLascio , told her to keep it as her screensaver ( it has since been replaced with apicture of her and her boyfriend ; sorry , Justin ). The story drew alot of attention for the star ’ s display of kindness .
DiLascio smiles as her mother tells thestory . She ’ sheard it manytimes , so there ’ sobviously the false embarrassment that comes when you ’ re ateenager and your mom is talking about you .
But she remains quietly smiling . She ’ s not going to complain . ●
– DARREN COOPER
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