Students Show Their Support for Brandon Petronzi

Brandon Petronzi enjoys playing video games and eating popcorn, just like thousands of other 8-year-olds. But Brandon has trouble moving his arms to eat so his dad has to help him.
Brandon suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a rare disease that causes muscle degeneration in boys. Most do not live past 18 or 19. Brandon was first diagnosed with DMD when he was 4.

“We live our lives day to day,” Bradon’s father Nick Petronzi said. “We love our lives. We go out to dinner every Friday and Saturday. Some days are difficult but you just focus on the present.”

A walk-a-thon for Brandon was held Friday at James Ryerson Elementary School. The event raised money to help the Petronzi family pay for a specialized attachment that increases the range of motion in Brandon’s right arm. The school’s Parent Teacher Organization ran the event. It is the second year the event has occurred.

Last year’s event raised $3,000 to help the Petronzis renovate their home so Brandon could get around easier.

“We pull together very well and help each other when we can,” said Fran Cook, PTO president. “We look out for each other.”

“They have such big hearts,” Nick said. “You couldn’t ask for a better school than Ryerson and a better group of people to know. The support we have received here is amazing.”

Frank Markowick, Ryerson’s principal, said that Brandon’s schoolmates treat him with the same respect and kindness as they do any other student.

“They eat lunch with him everyday. To them, he’s just another student,” Markowick said. “It is important for us as a school to focus on educating our students about life and this is one way to do that.”

Brandon is enrolled in the school’s Learning Center, a program for special needs students.

“As educators, we have to recognize and understand the needs of people with disabilities and educate our students on how they can help them,” Markowick said. “This event does that. You could see that the students were happy to do this for Brandon. They felt good about it.”

Markowick presented Brandon with an autographed football after the walk. James Ihedigbo of the New York Jets signed it when he visited the school last year.

Brandon smiled as he gripped the ball with the help of the new attachment.

“Thank you,” Brandon said.