I dedicate this book to my family.  One of the main objectives throughout the tragedy of our son Kevin’s accident was to keep us together and to keep us whole.  No one knows what the future will bring, but as of this writing we have been able to accomplish that objective.  Some peoples’ lives are sacrificed, whether it is by choice such as a war hero giving his life for his country, or by fate as part of God’s plan.  Lives can either be given meaning or destroyed by suffering.  Kevin’s life was given profound meaning, and through his suffering he brought together a community in ways we probably will never completely understand.
 
I never liked the phrase “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger”.  It oversimplifies the complex nature of suffering.  But in the case of our children, Kevin, Dylan, Megan and Jennifer this phrase rings true.  Life was, and is, very hard on them as a result of Kevin’s accident, but they all have been up to the challenge.  We are very proud of them.
 
There are no words to express my love and respect for my main partner in this surreal journey.  My wife Joan is a truly unique person who lives in the present, treats every moment as a gift, and has the uncanny ability to reach out to all people and make them feel part of the family.  I found it amazing that amidst all the pain people came to Joan to help them deal with their personal hardship resulting from Kevin’s accident, and she welcomed each and every one of them.
 
I’d like to thank my mother, sisters and their families for being there at every turn, and for adjusting their lives to accommodate the roller coaster ride introduced by the challenges of caring for someone who has suffered a traumatic brain injury.   Special thanks to Joan’s family in Long Island.  They kept vigil in constant prayer to petition for Kevin’s recovery and made the frequent journey from Long Island to New Jersey to support our family.
 
I must not forget the angels who were there to care for us and guides us.  They include the doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals that cared for Kevin along the journey, and especially the nurses that come to our house each day, care for Kevin with love, and have become part our extended family. 
 
Thanks to all our friends, especially the Aiello’s and the Conner’s, that spent time with Kevin so we could continue to do the things together that families are supposed to do, sometimes with Kevin and sometimes without him.
 
Thanks to the faithful, especially Father John and the parishioners of St Leo the Great parish in Lincroft NJ, and Brother Frank and the Christian Brothers Academy community.   They funded modifications to our home, delivered meals, raised funds for Kevin’s medical bills, but most importantly the prayed for us.  Their prayers gave us the strength to take this journey.
 
Thanks to Jeff and all my friends and co-workers at Starpoint Solutions for allowing me the flexibility to continue working while orchestrating Kevin’s constant care.  Thanks to the Rutgers gang for being big shoulders for me to lean on, and making me laugh even when I really didn’t care to.
 
I especially would like to thank all of the people, many of whom we’ve never met, who prayed for Kevin and our family.  While ours is a “Journey of Hope” that Kevin will return to consciousness one day, it is our faith that heals.  One of the blessed that we encountered on the journey is Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassatti.  He died in his early twenties and like Kevin had wisdom far beyond his years.  I’d like to end with his insightful quote on life and suffering.
 
"It (life) is a difficult battle, but we must strive to win it and to rediscover our small road to Damascus in order to walk toward the destination to which we all must arrive.  What is clear is that faith is the only anchor of salvation and we must hold tightly to it; without it, what would our lives be?  Nothing, or rather, wasted, because in life there is always suffering, and suffering without faith is unbearable.  But suffering that is nourished by the flame of faith becomes something beautiful, because it tempers the soul to deal with suffering."