Justin Cicalo ’16 drowned and broke his neck in a boating accident this previous summer. Previous to the accident Justin was living a normal life running cross country and working at his job at Buffalo Wild Wings. Then one day he decided to take a trip, “I was visiting my dad, we went to lunch, then we stopped to go for a swim” explained Justin. It was a normal, nice summer day when things took a turn for the worse. Justin being out on the boat decided to dive off and go for a swim. “There was a sand bar by the boat so I hit my head, broke my neck, so I was paralyzed. And I was waiting for someone to check on me or to just run out of breath. But no one checked on me and I ran out of breath” Justin says.
Paralyzed in the water all he could hear was the voices of all the people above as he waited helplessly not being able to do anything. “I told myself ‘that’s a wrap’ and closed my eyes. What else could I have done?” Justin says, those being his last few thoughts before becoming unconscious. It is hard to even comprehend having to come to the realization that it could be the end, but Justin did. “I figured that out. It made me feel terrified and disappointed, not a manly way to die,” Justin joked.
Family and friends slipped in and out of the hospital, but Justin does not remember much because he was on so many pain medications. Melvin Bibbs ’16, has been Justin’s friend since 8th grade. “I think I was driving when Julia Easterly told me. I was shocked but I was thinking positive because he’s Justin and he’s not going to die. He’s that stubborn,” Melvin said confidently.
The support Justin has been receiving is tremendous. “I don’t know, it’s wild, everyone wants to talk to me all the sudden,” he says. Justin is definitely in the spot light these days and everyone wants to hear the story from the guy who overcame the impossible odds.
His life is becoming more normal as he heads back to school and he hopes to run in the spring. Mr. Julien is a teacher at WWT and coached Justin for a season. “I believe this year will be a struggle for Justin but if he’s willing to put forth the effort and work hard, anything is possible.” Justin has very hopeful and positive support on his side and hopes to run in the spring. The roles switched for Justin and Mr. Julien because Justin taught him something. “Not dwell on certain situations. Sometimes you have to look around and see what other people are going through in order to realize how much you actually have,” Mr. Julien explains.
Going through something this of course leaves some marks. “Getting over the fact that I drowned. I had a dream about it and that sucked. I woke up to this nightmare at 3 a.m. and I couldn’t move or breathe. I did not want to see that again,” Justin confesses. However, Justin can find the good in any situation being the person he is. “The good thing about this is life, walking again, being with my friends, not being in a wheelchair, not eating out of a straw, and being a normal person,” Justin says happily. This should make all of us be grateful for the little things in life we are able to do when it was almost taken from 17 year old, Justin Cicalo.
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