Mt. Kisco Boy Organizes Team to Walk in Dad’s Memory
Mattew Florio isn’t letting a personal tragedy stop him from doing his best to help others.
The nine-year-old Mount Kisco boy has organized his own team of more than a dozen friends and relatives for Sunday’s Voices Against Brain Cancer Run/Walk in Central Park.
Florio, a fourth-grader at West Patent Elementary School, lost his father, Victor, to brain cancer last March, a year after the elder Florio was diagnosed with Glioblastoma.
“I’m walking to do my best to help end brain cancer,” Florio said.
Earlier this week, Team Matthew, the official name of his squad, had raised $2,050 with a goal to reach $5,000 by the walk. The day includes a 1.7-mile walk in the park for the more casual participant. The run, a New York Roadrunner’s Club event, covers five miles for the more serious runner. Previously, called the Have a Chance Walk, it will be held in the spirit of Roadrunner Club founder Fred Lebow, who also died of brain cancer.
Florio’s mother, Donna Cravotta, said she was remarkably impressed by her son’s resiliency throughout the yearlong ordeal. She said it was unusual for him to miss visiting his father for more than a day, and even as his condition deteriorated Matthew hardly flinched.
“I remember he’d be there every single day,” Cravotta said. “Now he wants to help and be kind to others who are going through the same thing.”
On top of organizing his first major philanthropic effort with the help of his mom, Matthew will be one of nine individuals or groups honored at this year’s walk. Voices Against Brain Cancer is bestowing Florio with the 2011 Caregiver Award.
During the summer, Matthew approached his mother about doing something to help other families who went through a similar life-altering event of watching a loved one be stricken with brain cancers.
Voices Against Brain Cancer was launched in memory of Chicago resident Gary Lichtenstein who lost his battle with brain cancer in October 2003, Shortly after his death, Lichtenstein’s family started Voices Against Brain Cancer to raise money and awareness for the fight against the disease. The charity’s mission is to ultimately find a cure for brain cancer.
Cravotta said their family and friends are looking forward to joining her son to make his first walk special. Because the walk steps off at 9:30 a.m., she and Matthew will spend Saturday evening in a Manhattan hotel.
Although registration for the walk and run is now closed, donors can still contribute to Team Matthew by logging on to the team page at www.voicesinmotion.org/matthew. More information about Voices Against Brain Cancer can be found on the organization’s home page.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/