Frankie's Story: Accomplishment Personified

By Michael Basso Dorothy Scarfone

Frankie Scarfone is a fourth degree black belt inductee in the International Martial Arts hall of fame - as a karate master. He's also a special olympian, a keyboard virtuoso, a guitar player and a .......choir singer, alter server, teachers aid and much more. BTW, Frankie has Down's Syndrome! This a story about parental commitment, creativity, innovation & love, the importance of having a social support group and about ways that special teachers teach special kids that may help others with disabilities. Frankies successes go far beyond his disabilities - he is an inspiration for anyone who has challenges and obstacles and for those who just want to be successful !!! Relevant concepts from the fields of psychology, neuroscience and education are included, along with an extensive listing of agency resources for parents. Written by Dorothy Scarfone and Michael R. Basso

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael Basso Dorothy Scarfone
• Release date: Mar 7, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458023728

Book preview

Frankie’s Story: Accomplishment Personified

By Dorothy Scarfone and Michael R Basso

Smashwords Edition 1.0

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Copyright © 2011 By Dorothy Scarfone and Michael R Basso

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Dedicated to the late Frank Scarfone, Sr.

May his soul continue to inspire his son in the ways that he knows best.

Frankie Leading Karate Class – February, 2011

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Contents

About the Authors

Forward

Preface

The Mayor

The Views of Others

Frankie’s Interests

The Early Years

Challenges and Rewards

Computer Learning

Learning Music

Music Therapy

The Special Olympics

Tournaments and West Point

Frankie’s view of the Induction

Appendix One: Accomplishments

Appendix Two: The Neurobiology of DS

Appendix Three: Article about DS

Appendix Four: Miscellaneous

Appendix Five: Parental Resources

Appendix Six: Media Stories

Poem

Other Relevant Books by Authors

tmp_819855bbf9903e078a5405518d13a14e_B8gqDo_html_m71731105.jpg About the Authors

Dorothy lives in New York with Frankie who has Down Syndrome. She has a daughter, Sandra, another son, Mark, and four grandchildren. Dorothy earned an Associates Degree at the Latin-American Institute in Manhattan and her paralegal certificate at Manhattanville College. She now works as a legal secretary/paralegal for a law firm in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Dorothy was a literacy volunteer for many years starting when her children were in elementary school. She has continued to volunteer to teach English to the new wave of immigrants in her native village, Port Chester, New York. She also had been a member of the parish counsel of her church helping to establish goals for the parish. Presently, she is on a committee at her church which reaches out to the elderly. She was also a member of the Board of Directors of Don Bosco Community Center in Port Chester, NY.

Dorothy is also on the Board of Directors of the Tamarack Tower Foundation in Port Chester, NY as well as corresponding secretary for the TTF. She is also on the Board of Directors of the South East Consortium for Special Services, Inc., located in Mamaroneck, NY.

Michael has written several children’s books with a focus upon teaching children and significant others about people with disabilities. Michael has written several articles for the Yale Journal for the Humanities in Medicine and others for professional Journals in the area of neuroscience. Dr. Basso has also written more that 150 newspaper articles in the realm of Holistic Health and Wellness.

Michael R. Basso has significant experience as an educator in psychology at Yale University and the University of Connecticut, and as a leader in quality and reliability engineering and management in industry. His experience also includes being a consultant, a medical researcher, and a newspaper columnist. Michael is the president of the Connecticut Holistic Health Association.

Dr. Basso has a Ph.D. in professional psychology and biomedical systems, an MS in engineering science, an MBA with a focus in executive leadership and an interdisciplinary Professional Development Diploma in pathophysiology, neural systems, and education. He also holds a BS in electrical engineering. Michael is certified in quality and reliability engineering and quality auditing, as well as variety of health related areas.

Forward

By Dr. Michael Basso

I had not seen Cousin Dorothy for a while and decided to stop by for a visit. Since she had had some work done on her front porch I proceeded to walk around the house to use the back porch door. Suddenly, I started to get tense. My God, little Frankie was now very much grown up and a fourth degree black belt and I’m walking around his back yard unannounced – what would he do if he didn’t recognize this intruder walking on his mom’s property. Even though he was always an even tempered and kind soul, the thought of what he was capable of instantly gave me the utmost respect for Frankie.

In a flash, I was keenly aware of how much Frankie had accomplished over the years.

Next my mind raced back to 1960s and Sunday afternoons at Granny’s house. She was the best cook ever and a comedian in her own right. All the aunts and uncles would congregate around the kitchen table for the unending treats that Granny would provide. From pancakes with VT maple syrup, to squash flower potato patties, to every Italian and American delight ever invented and every kind of dessert on the planet; you name it, Granny had it.

It was like yesterday when I remember how sad I felt when one of my favorite relatives, Uncle Nick, Dottie’s dad, started to come to Granny’s house with a cane. How strange it was that Aunt Grace, Dorothy’s mom, suddenly had to do all the driving. Seeing her have to walk him from the car to the house was shocking to say the least. To see my hero, Uncle Nick, in a wheel chair was like knowing that superman couldn’t fly any more.

Uncle Nick had the