BROCKPORT, NY - Growing up, E.J. Genzano always wanted a younger
brother.
So when his parents, Emilio and Jill Genzano, adopted Joey from
Omaha, Neb., E.J. was thrilled he'd finally have his little
brother. Someone to play sports with and get into mischief the way
brothers often do.
But when Joey arrived into the family's home in Guilderland,
N.Y. when E.J. was 5 years old, his parents had a warning for E.J.:
Something was wrong with Joey, and the family had no idea what was
plaguing the child.
Neither did his doctors, until he was 2 ½ years old, when
his doctor at Strong Memorial Hospital confirmed the bad news: Joey
was suffering from Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy, a rare disease that
affects the body's muscles and other vital organs.
Babies such as Joey, who was believed to have been born with the
disorder, suffer from a more severe form of the disease. As a
result, among the symptoms, Joey lacks tone on his body's
muscles, his cheeks sag in on his face and he's unable to
speak in complete sentences.
The long-term prognosis for Joey isn't promising. E.J. said
the doctors have told him they didn't think Joey would reach
his 13th birthday, yet Joey is still fighting, still living, all
with a smile on his face.
And Genzano wants to do his share to support his younger brother.
After going to a Brockport men's ice hockey home game last
year, Genzano witnessed the team's annual 'Saves for a
Cure' charity, where any save made by a Brockport goalie
raised money for cancer treatment. The cause was started by Todd
Sheridan (Edison, NJ), a 2010 graduate and cancer survivor.
After watching the hockey community collect more than $3,400 in
proceeds, Genzano decided he could use his kicking skills to
spearhead a similar charity to benefit Joey.
Every time Genzano steps onto the field for a field goal or extra
point attempt, under his "Kicking for the Cure"
efforts, all proceeds will go to raise awareness and money for
Muscular Dystrophy research.
Last year, Genzano set the Brockport record for extra points in a
season (41) and threatened the Brockport record for scoring
performance by a kicker (Genzano scored 53 points, five shy of
Steve Milne's record of 58, set in 1993).
While Joey is unable to speak in complete sentences, E.J. has ways
of communicating with his younger brother. E.J. will ask Joey how
his day is going, and Joey will reply "Good."
Regardless of how E.J.'s day is going, he says thinking of
the courageous way his younger brother deals with this
life-threatening condition inspires him.
"It's definitely tough to not be near Joey. I look up
to him a lot in the sense of my kicking abilities," said
Genzano, a sophomore in his second year as Brockport's
starting place kicker.
"Joey's always the one putting a smile on my face, so
whenever I'm having a bad day of kicking, I just picture Joey
in the back of my mind with his smile, and I can relax on the field
and do my thing."
Along with his parents, Joey attended several of Brockport's
games in 2009, and was often in the stands sporting a homemade No.
84 jersey or other Brockport paraphernalia. The family again plans
to attend as many Golden Eagles football games as possible this
year, starting with Saturday night's season-opener versus St.
John Fisher College at 6 p.m. under the lights at Growney
Stadium.
Emilio Genzano said Joey's condition is terminal and that
most children with MMD don't make it out of their teenage
years. While the kicker can be a nerve-wracking, pressure-packed
position, Emilio said he's noticed a change in the way E.J.
conducts himself before, during and after his kicking attempts.
"Joey has a calming effect on E.J.," Emilio Genzano
said. "While E.J. went through a rough freshman year trying
to figure out who he is, he always knew Joey was ready to give him
a hug regardless of what happened on the field. You look at
unconditional love and that's Joey. Joey makes you realize
just how precious life is."
Including fundraising efforts in his hometown, E.J., Jill and
Emilio have raised more than $500,000 for Muscular Dystrophy
research. Their efforts, along with other donors, have worked so
far. In years past, Emilio said children suffering from Myotonic
Muscular Dystrophy wouldn't accurately be diagnosed, and the
disease instead would instead be confused with autism or mental
retardation.
Joey was one of the first children diagnosed with Myotonic
Muscular Dystrophy in the state, and Emilio said efforts to combat
the condition, which is genetic, have come a long way since Joey
was first diagnosed. The Genzano family credits the doctors at
Strong, especially Dr. Charles A. Thornton, with making
"tremendous strides" with MMD research.
Despite being separated by nearly 240 miles, Genzano knows his
younger brother's calming spirit and warm smile is always
close by. But if Genzano ever needs a reminder of the obstacles
facing Joey, he need only look at his right arm, where a tattoo of
the word "Spero" sits high atop Genzano's
bicep.
The word is Latin for hope, and Genzano said hope has become the
motto of those living with MMD.
"I love Joey, he's very important to me, and
it's very important to spread awareness. I'd love to
see a cure one day for this," said E.J., who is confident the
Brockport community will support his fundraising efforts.
"It was a natural fit that I could use the football team and
my position to promote this cause, plus it gives me some motivation
to kick (the ball) through the uprights and make my
kicks."
Brockport's E.J. Genzano is Kicking for a Cause in 2010
Sep 10, 2010