Page 24
March 2010
Happy 46th
Birthday Sergio
On March 16, 2010 Sergio celebrated his 46th birthday!
The day was filled with lots of well wishes from all over. His sisters posted on FaceBook that it was his birthday and many friends and friends of friends and family members from near and far sent well wishes via the internet. Emails from many of his friends came pouring in. Friends and family stopped by to give him a hug and a kiss. Sergio's good friend, Donna, put out the word to her friends to send him a birthday card and much to Sergio's surprise, over 50 birthday cards filled his mailbox that day. As you could imagine, Sergio was very grateful to all that sent their love and support. He truly felt the love.
Dina, Norma, and Lucy give Sergio a big group birthday hug.
Dear friends, Cathy and Donna, come by to wish Sergio a happy Birthday!
Some days are just harder than others for Sergio and sometimes it is very hard to be pleasant. This is the t-shirt that Sergio's sis, Sonia gave him for his birthday- He wears it with pride.
Many ask us, the families, "How Sergio is
doing these days?". Well, I can tell you that the ALS continues to rob him
of what he used to do. He can't move much on his own and requires help
for everything we take for grated.
Communication is done by attempting to mouth out letters so that he can form words for us to understand. A lot like playing hangman but a whole lot harder. Frankie is just about the only one who truly understands just about everything his dad says. When we are stumped to what Sergio is trying to say, we call Frankie in and just like magic, he can make out every word and letter that Sergio is saying.
Daughter, Alyssa, is going to school these days in hopes of becoming a nurse someday soon. Her first hand education with caring for her dad at home has been a big asset to her in her classroom work and she is learning so much in the classroom that she can apply to helping her dad at home. Her instructors are impress with her abilities and have commented on that she has a terrific future in healthcare because of her "at home" hand on training.
He continues to eat some foods via the mouth- he does have his cravings (banana cream pie, ice creams, etc.). Kelly makes sure that Sergio gets the exact treats he wants, even if it means a couple of trips to the store...
Sergio's baby sister, Tina, visits him twice a week and gives him his shower. She and Frankie are the only ones who can manage his body in and out of the shower without slipping and falling.
Sergio knows how much he is loved by all- (Frankie gives Sergio the hugs that people tell him to pass onto his dad for them).
There really isn't a dull moment around the DeLuca home. He enjoys short visits from family and friends as he gets tired easily. His likes to watch his shows (sports- "Go Lakers"/ movies/ etc.) and loves knowing that people are thinking of him and keep good thoughts for him and his family.
Lots of family members stop by for regular visits. Wonderful friends come by to say hi and sometimes just sit and watch a sports program or a movie with him. No words needed- just hanging out and watching a little TV. Sergio is grateful....
He knows that our Lord will call for him to come home and he will be without pain or suffering someday but until that day comes, he is very much alive and loves even more than words can ever express.
Check out the photo galleries for more pictures of all events.
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It is always a treasured gift to hear from friends and family from time to time. Sergio would love to hear from you. He is always interested in catching up on what your family is doing. Even if it's just to say hi! Drop him a line at
Frankie checks his emails daily and is happy to help his dad in responding to the emails he gets.