November 26th is Nic’s birthday, he should be turning 50 this year.
Instead of celebrating, we will remember Nic with gratitude for the time we had, the memories we shared and the love that will always be there. Always.
As we have learned, the next moment is never promised, you never know when it may be your last time with the people you adore, the ones who give your life the most meaning. Along with gratitude for what we had, is grief for what we have lost in the present and future. We will forever mourn all the “shoulds.”
Nic died on 8/7/2020 from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD.) CJD is a rare, degenerative, fatal brain disorder. It affects about one in a million people per year worldwide; in the United States there are about 350 cases per year. Currently, there is no treatment that can cure or control CJD.
I could tell you of the horrors of this disease. But honestly, that’s what this fundraiser is about. The hope that you will never experience this trauma yourself. The hope that you will never have your world crumble under your feet without warning. That you will never have to sit your children down and explain to them that their parent is dying from a disease with no better explanation than “bad luck.”
Instead, I will tell you about the beauty of Nic. If you knew him, I don’t have to tell you much more. I don’t have to tell you about the way he bragged about his family, his running and cycling times. You already know of his generosity, his gentle nature, his motivation and enthusiasm, his quick wit and laughter, his never-ending positivity, the light he brought to the dark and how he rolled with the punches thrown at him in life and kept his beautiful, dimpled smile always on his face. If you knew him, you have experienced all that yourself.
If you didn’t know Nic, then that is what this disease took from you, the honor of knowing such an exceptional man.
We strive to continue practicing what he taught us during the time we had him in our lives, which was quite simply, how to be a better person, and to always do the right thing.
The Nic Ziccardi Memorial Research Grant will give us the opportunity to continue his legacy. We will embrace his goal to always Finish Strong by helping fund research to know more about this tragic disease.
Thank You from The Ziccardi/Royse/Cannon Families for your heartwarming support as we continue down our path towards healing, with grace in our hearts as we experience all the moments which Nic “should” be here to celebrate with us. We will strive to reclaim our smiles, just as Nic always did.