Post by MrsB on Feb 3, 2005 23:42:28 GMT -5
Just came across this story about my best bud...
A winning spirit, like his Pats
Bruschi-backer won't let ailments block his cheer
By JOHN COLLINS, Sun Staff
NASHUA There's a cruel irony attached to the reason why "2001 Patriots Fan of the Year" Randy "Zip" Pierce will not be in Jacksonville, Fla., for the Big Game.
The irony is that Pierce, 34, is credited with giving his all-time favorite Patriot, linebacker Tedy Bruschi, the now-famous nickname, "Full-Tilt Full Time." But Pierce now finds that his own world is constantly tilting and twirling, sideways and upside-down, full time.
"I have vertigo 24 hours a day," is how Pierce describes it. "There's nothing to stop my head from spinning."
The same, rare, neurological disease that killed all of his optical nerve cells over an 11-year period, ultimately robbing him of his eyesight, has now destroyed the "vestibular" section of his brain, resulting in a permanent loss of balance earlier this year.
Car travel is very hard for me now," says Pierce. "So just tailgating before games (in Foxboro) has been tough. Plane travel I haven't even tried it yet. That's why I'm not doing Jacksonville."
So instead of being Super Bowl-bound, Pierce will be wheelchair-bound on game day, as he has been since June. He plans to "watch" the big game the first-ever NFL championship game involving the Patriots that he has not attended along with family members on a big-screen TV in his living room filled with Pats collectibles.
Pierce, who managed to awe and inspire fellow Patriots diehards and players alike over the past decade by his spirited attendance of every home game (and many away games, as well), considers this latest affliction "worse" and "more difficult" to cope with than being blind.
"This is lot harder on me because there's no way for me to navigate or be independent," he explains. "That's why I have roommates now, because I need help."
Pierce is grateful that three friends were able to move into his East Glenwood Road home to assist him with housework and in getting around. Also a huge help, Greater Nashua Habitat for Humanity built a wheelchair ramp to his front door.
While he can still be found at his master's side, Ostend, Randy's loyal golden retriever, has been officially "retired" from guide-dog duty, enduring a tough transition on Sundays last fall when his master rolled out the door on the way to games without him for the first time.
"As a blind person in a wheelchair it presents a whole new set of challenges," says Pierce, "but it hasn't stopped me from going to every tailgate. It's one of the distractions and entertainment forms that makes a big difference in my world."
Take, for example, what happened outside Gillette Stadium at 9:15 a.m. on Jan. 2, just hours before the Patriots game with the 49ers. Pierce and his crew of friends were setting up their tailgate party when a car pulled to a stop nearby and the driver, Tedy Bruschi, jumped out to tell Randy how much he missed seeing him in the "Bruschi Backers" sideline seats now that Randy was watching games from the wheelchair section, higher up.
"We talked about my condition because he's aware of what's going on with me," recalls Pierce, who cherishes the fact that an NFL star would make such an "unheard of" gesture on a game day.
Zip, it seems, simply cannot get enough Bruschi stories. Nor can his mom, Georgette Roy, 75, a lifelong Nashua resident, who became a big Bruschi backer after overcoming the effects of a stroke thanks, in part, to some special attention from No. 54.
"My mom had a stroke during (cancer) surgery, which made it too hard for her to write," Pierce says. "We tried everything and couldn't motivate her. Then Tedy sent an e-mail asking how she was and we read it to her and she couldn't believe it."
Mrs. Roy insisted on writing Bruschi a "thank you" letter in response. "After about 12 tries she was able to make a legible copy because she had to relearn how to write," Pierce says.
When Bruschi visited Nashua Sports Collectibles months later, he took a special photo with Georgette. "My mom had tears in her eyes. She was so excited. Tedy treated her like gold."
More recently, Bruschi phoned Pierce to ask for his permission to put "Full-Tilt Full Time" on T-shirts to be sold for the benefit of tsunami victims. Yes, of course, Pierce responded.
It's Friday evening, nine days before Super Bowl XXXIX, and Randy Pierce is engaging in some Super Banter with longtime friend Joshua Rosenthal, a Philadelphia native now living in Westford. Rosenthal, 34, is wearing a new Eagles jersey, No. 81, representing Philadelphia's flamboyant wide receiver Terrell Owens. Pierce dons a blue Patriots jersey, representing (who else?) No. 54, Tedy Bruschi.
Rosenthal, a 1992 graduate of Tufts University, admits to being a converted Patriots fan except on those occasions when they play the Eagles. He thinks Philly has a good chance to pull off the upset. Final score prediction: Eagles 20, Patriots 10.
Pierce, of course, counters with a prediction of a solid Patriots win, 24-10.
Next, as the two discuss a possible wager, Pierce pulls himself from his wheelchair onto a barstool where he challenges his friend to an arm-wrestling match on the Patriots bar countertop. It gives Pierce a chance to show off the new Pats tattoo on his right arm. So what if nerve damage has left him unable to see, or even picture the tattoo in his mind's eye? Pierce's attitude and approach to life appears to mimic that of his favorite player full-tilt full time no living life lying down.
"Randy has never stopped going," Rosenthal marvels later. "He has always stated that the goal in life is to go out and have fun, regardless of what situation you're in. And that's the right way to live. Randy just epitomizes it."
Pierce, who is writing a book about confronting physical challenges, says his ability to inspire others motivates him to "go and do" each day.
"Obviously, I have bad days. If I didn't, I'd be in denial. But I can't let my situation beat me and become bitter. You choose how to respond. All of the stuff that's happened to me in regards to the Patriots astoundingly tremendous great fortune, being named Fan of the Year and traveling to the Super Bowls and all that happened after I became totally blind. I get e-mail now on a regular basis from people who take some level of inspiration from it. And that boosts and kicks me to keep going."
Full-tilt, full time.
A winning spirit, like his Pats
Bruschi-backer won't let ailments block his cheer
By JOHN COLLINS, Sun Staff
NASHUA There's a cruel irony attached to the reason why "2001 Patriots Fan of the Year" Randy "Zip" Pierce will not be in Jacksonville, Fla., for the Big Game.
The irony is that Pierce, 34, is credited with giving his all-time favorite Patriot, linebacker Tedy Bruschi, the now-famous nickname, "Full-Tilt Full Time." But Pierce now finds that his own world is constantly tilting and twirling, sideways and upside-down, full time.
"I have vertigo 24 hours a day," is how Pierce describes it. "There's nothing to stop my head from spinning."
The same, rare, neurological disease that killed all of his optical nerve cells over an 11-year period, ultimately robbing him of his eyesight, has now destroyed the "vestibular" section of his brain, resulting in a permanent loss of balance earlier this year.
Car travel is very hard for me now," says Pierce. "So just tailgating before games (in Foxboro) has been tough. Plane travel I haven't even tried it yet. That's why I'm not doing Jacksonville."
So instead of being Super Bowl-bound, Pierce will be wheelchair-bound on game day, as he has been since June. He plans to "watch" the big game the first-ever NFL championship game involving the Patriots that he has not attended along with family members on a big-screen TV in his living room filled with Pats collectibles.
Pierce, who managed to awe and inspire fellow Patriots diehards and players alike over the past decade by his spirited attendance of every home game (and many away games, as well), considers this latest affliction "worse" and "more difficult" to cope with than being blind.
"This is lot harder on me because there's no way for me to navigate or be independent," he explains. "That's why I have roommates now, because I need help."
Pierce is grateful that three friends were able to move into his East Glenwood Road home to assist him with housework and in getting around. Also a huge help, Greater Nashua Habitat for Humanity built a wheelchair ramp to his front door.
While he can still be found at his master's side, Ostend, Randy's loyal golden retriever, has been officially "retired" from guide-dog duty, enduring a tough transition on Sundays last fall when his master rolled out the door on the way to games without him for the first time.
"As a blind person in a wheelchair it presents a whole new set of challenges," says Pierce, "but it hasn't stopped me from going to every tailgate. It's one of the distractions and entertainment forms that makes a big difference in my world."
Take, for example, what happened outside Gillette Stadium at 9:15 a.m. on Jan. 2, just hours before the Patriots game with the 49ers. Pierce and his crew of friends were setting up their tailgate party when a car pulled to a stop nearby and the driver, Tedy Bruschi, jumped out to tell Randy how much he missed seeing him in the "Bruschi Backers" sideline seats now that Randy was watching games from the wheelchair section, higher up.
"We talked about my condition because he's aware of what's going on with me," recalls Pierce, who cherishes the fact that an NFL star would make such an "unheard of" gesture on a game day.
Zip, it seems, simply cannot get enough Bruschi stories. Nor can his mom, Georgette Roy, 75, a lifelong Nashua resident, who became a big Bruschi backer after overcoming the effects of a stroke thanks, in part, to some special attention from No. 54.
"My mom had a stroke during (cancer) surgery, which made it too hard for her to write," Pierce says. "We tried everything and couldn't motivate her. Then Tedy sent an e-mail asking how she was and we read it to her and she couldn't believe it."
Mrs. Roy insisted on writing Bruschi a "thank you" letter in response. "After about 12 tries she was able to make a legible copy because she had to relearn how to write," Pierce says.
When Bruschi visited Nashua Sports Collectibles months later, he took a special photo with Georgette. "My mom had tears in her eyes. She was so excited. Tedy treated her like gold."
More recently, Bruschi phoned Pierce to ask for his permission to put "Full-Tilt Full Time" on T-shirts to be sold for the benefit of tsunami victims. Yes, of course, Pierce responded.
It's Friday evening, nine days before Super Bowl XXXIX, and Randy Pierce is engaging in some Super Banter with longtime friend Joshua Rosenthal, a Philadelphia native now living in Westford. Rosenthal, 34, is wearing a new Eagles jersey, No. 81, representing Philadelphia's flamboyant wide receiver Terrell Owens. Pierce dons a blue Patriots jersey, representing (who else?) No. 54, Tedy Bruschi.
Rosenthal, a 1992 graduate of Tufts University, admits to being a converted Patriots fan except on those occasions when they play the Eagles. He thinks Philly has a good chance to pull off the upset. Final score prediction: Eagles 20, Patriots 10.
Pierce, of course, counters with a prediction of a solid Patriots win, 24-10.
Next, as the two discuss a possible wager, Pierce pulls himself from his wheelchair onto a barstool where he challenges his friend to an arm-wrestling match on the Patriots bar countertop. It gives Pierce a chance to show off the new Pats tattoo on his right arm. So what if nerve damage has left him unable to see, or even picture the tattoo in his mind's eye? Pierce's attitude and approach to life appears to mimic that of his favorite player full-tilt full time no living life lying down.
"Randy has never stopped going," Rosenthal marvels later. "He has always stated that the goal in life is to go out and have fun, regardless of what situation you're in. And that's the right way to live. Randy just epitomizes it."
Pierce, who is writing a book about confronting physical challenges, says his ability to inspire others motivates him to "go and do" each day.
"Obviously, I have bad days. If I didn't, I'd be in denial. But I can't let my situation beat me and become bitter. You choose how to respond. All of the stuff that's happened to me in regards to the Patriots astoundingly tremendous great fortune, being named Fan of the Year and traveling to the Super Bowls and all that happened after I became totally blind. I get e-mail now on a regular basis from people who take some level of inspiration from it. And that boosts and kicks me to keep going."
Full-tilt, full time.
