1. Birth-20 Years

In 1967, my family took a vacation in the Catskill Mountains (i.e. Southeastern N.Y. State) and one afternoon, while my parents, Joseph (Lebanese) and my pregnant mother, Celia (Italian) were dancing to Frank Sinatra’s ‘Fly Me To The Moon’,  my mother’s water broke! The family (i.e. immediate & cousins) jumped into their ‘smoke ridden’ cars (i.e. most smoked) and rushed to the Catskill Hospital. Once they arrived, Celia didn’t feel comfortable with the atmosphere and the ‘vibes’ of the doctors so she insisted to be driven back to Rochester, N.Y. via Hyland Hospital. Once they arrived, doctors chose to utilize ‘forceps’ instead of doing a cesarian; my birth was a two-month premature miracle because my mom lost two previous babies due to still born/miscarriage.

Initially, the doctors at Highland Hospital didn’t believe I would survive and stated, ‘I was a tenacious fighter!’ When I was almost three years old, my parents had a neurologist watch me play with blocks and he stated, ‘your son is very intelligent but he has a mild case of Cerebral Palsy and may have various issues to overcome!’

Shortly after this observation, I had an operation on my right heel so that I could walk straighter. As a result of my CP, the right side of my body is slightly smaller than the left. Also, I have limited motor skill agility in my right hand. To improve my right hand’s motor skills, my parents made me take guitar lessons for two years. This continuous finger motion increased my agility and I gained confidence while eating utilizing my right hand. I’m a natural ‘southpaw.’

At St. Louis School (i.e. Pittsford, N.Y.), in first grade, I rushed through my classwork and homework throughout this school year and as a result, I had to repeat the first grade with my favorite teacher, Mrs. Gallea. In the fall of that year, I had to line up in the first-grade line instead of lining up with my best friends in the second-grade line. This devastated my confidence level and it seemed like I would never advance to the next grade!

In sixth grade, I had Mrs. Gallea a third time and I was excited because we had a great rapport with one another. My mother, Celia was the ‘class mom’ who became the teacher assistant twice a week when she finished at Style-O-Rama Hair Salon, a family owned business for 40 years. Her real purpose was to keep an eye on my reading and math progress. I was in the ‘low group’ for both classes and I became very insecure about school. My best friends were in the ‘high group’ for math/reading. Today, this would be referred to as Intensive Math/Reading classes.  The only reason I looked forward to 6th grade was because I was one of the captains our undefeated basketball team and started at point guard.

In eighth grade, our basketball team went undefeated 10-0 just like our 6th grade year. The greatest fear that loomed consistently in my mind was taking the McQuaid High School Entrance Exam. My three older brothers attended this Jesuit School and one attended Pittsford Sutherland H.S. The day arrived when I took the exam and I failed it miserably, one of the lowest scores in their school’s history! I was and still am a terrible test taker. Mr. Bunce, one of the administrators allowed me to be ‘on probation throughout my freshman year’ to prove that I could keep up with 2-3 hours of homework per night. I maintained a 80% average while starting on the basketball team with my then, b-ball arch rival, Wakili who became one of my best friends. Ironically enough, he is a principal in Rochester, N.Y. and he will be an honored guest on one of my Podcast episodes.

After completing my sophomore year, I wanted to transfer to Pittsford Sutherland H.S. because I knew the classwork at McQuaid would become very intensified and I didn’t want to face this ‘stressor’ on a daily basis. The following fall, I attended Pittsford Sutherland H.S. against my parents’ wishes; one other brother attended 10 years earlier. In the fall of my junior year, I was kicked off the varsity basketball team for skipping practice due to ‘skipping school and partying with my friends'. The next two years became a downward spiral of smoking marijuana and drinking with my pool table buddies. During this two-year period, I became more depressed as result of not placing importance on my grades and not desiring to go to college. One evening that summer a friend and I decided to not go to The New Edition Concert and sell our tickets on the street. We came across the ‘gang members’ who stole our tickets and stabbed my friend in the leg. I had to take off my shirt and wrap it around his leg to slow down the bleeding. When we were in the emergency room, my friend’s mom came into the emergency room and looking at us with tears in her eyes and stated, ‘God spared your lives tonight!’ This was a turning point in my life.

After graduating from Pittsford Sutherland H.S., my life was at a crossroad because I didn’t want to remain in school.  During the summer of July 1986 at eighteen years old, I was invited to Maranatha Fellowship Church in Farmington, N.Y. After attending various services, I found my faith that has anchored my life for the past 34 years.

2. 20 Years-30 years

After completing my associate degree at Monroe Community College, I told my parents and brothers that I was not going to continue for my bachelors. After a plethora of arguments, I gave in! I enrolled at Roberts Wesleyan College in North Chili, N.Y. in the Business Administration Program. Throughout my two years, I developed two key relationships with my friend, Jeff and Mr. Haseltine, my Economics Professor. I was failing in my accounting/economics classes and Mr. Haseltine noticed ‘the stress on my face’ and asked me to go to lunch with him in the café after class. I thought he was going to give me a huge lecture on why it was important to remain in school etc. He told me about his 23 year-old daughter that was driving to Geneseo State College in N.Y. on a rainy day and she lost control of her car. The car proceeded to smash into the guard rail and rolled down the side of a large hill. She died on impact. As tears flowed down his face, he said, ‘Life is too short!’ I told him I would complete my degree.

After graduating, I accepted a job in collections with Chase Manhattan Bank and within three years, I was promoted into a management program. During the following two years, I was being trained in all the various positions within our branch office system. I wasn’t content remaining a banker. After doing some soul-searching, I decided to resign from the bank and take a month off and travel to Israel/Egypt for one month.