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Hudson Valley Hospital Center Occupational Therapy Patients Find Strength Through Their Pain
Two heroes who have proudly served The United States met unexpectedly and became connected through history.
Gary Jacobson, a 40-year-old resident of Putnam Valley and Lieutenant in the NYC Fire Department, had been coming to Occupational Therapy at Hudson Valley Hospital Center for several months. Caused by an on-the-job fall from a third story building, Jacobson had been making regular visits to Occupational Therapy to heal and rehabilitate his traumatic injury.
An 82-year-old resident of Yorktown Heights, Tony Paolicelli began Occupational Therapy due to a recent numbness he was experiencing in his fingers at around the same time as Jacobson. After Paolicelli's retirement as a foreman in a dress factory, with encouragement from his wife, he began to develop his talent as a painter and has since featured his work in various exhibits. Yet now the numbness in his fingers has hindered his ability to paint.
During a recent Occupational Therapy visit, Jacobson and Paolicelli struck up a conversation over a WWII Essex Ship hat Paolicelli was wearing. Having a Grandfather, Anthony
Joe" Kammerer, who had served on The Essex Ship during WWII, Jacobson asked Paolicelli about his time in the service. Through talking, Jacobson & Paolicelli discovered that Paolicelli had served side-by-side with Jacobson's Grandfather on the WWII Essex Ship.
Consequently, Jacobson's uncle, Steven Kammerer, had recently found a book at an antique shop that contained photographs of the WWII Essex Ship. Not even having the knowledge such a book existed; Jacobson was compelled to find his own photographs of his time in the service. Paolicelli found great solace & joy in Jacobson's photographs as well as his own. From sharing their memories, Paolicelli has been able to delve into a past often too painful to relive. Paolicelli shared photographs with Jacobson at their next Occupational Therapy visit of himself at the age of 18, photographs from the very beginning of his days of service in WWII. He also shared a journal with Jacobson that he had written during WWII, a journal he himself had never been able to re-read since. Paolicelli feels that this chance meeting was the reason for the numbness in his fingers, to bring him to Jacobson and be able to finally speak about this difficult time in his life.
Through their Occupational Therapy visits, two men separated by 42 years in age were able to establish this unlikely yet powerful friendship. HVHC Occupational Therapist Erin Leary, OTR/L, CHT, shared her feelings on the relationship, "You never forget stories like this one. This type of physical as well as emotional healing means so much to me as a healthcare provider and as a person. To be witness to such a powerful and intense moment that brought such joy and fulfillment to two people was amazing."
Hudson Valley Hospital Center is dedicated to serving the health care needs of the community and to providing quality, comprehensive medical care in a compassionate, professional, respectful manner, without regard to race, religion, national origin or disease category. Offering state-of-the-art diagnostic treatment, education and preventive services, the Hospital is committed to improving the quality of life in the community. In fulfilling this mission, the Hospital will strive to continuously improve the care provided and develop and offer programs, facilities, systems and alliances that most effectively respond to community health care needs. Hudson Valley Hospital Center is located on Route 202 (1980 Crompond Road) in Cortlandt Manor, New York. Call 914- 737-9000 or visit www.hvhc.org.
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