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Pat DeConto holds a photo of her son, Gerald, who was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack at the Pentagon.
For the past decade, BWH patient Pat DeConto has participated in a road race dedicated to her son, Gerald, who was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack at the Pentagon. The annual event—the Captain Gerald F. DeConto, USN, Scholarship Fund 5K Run and Walk— raises funds for a scholarship that is awarded to a Sandwich High School senior.
“This race means the world to me; I wouldn’t want to miss it,” said DeConto, a retired first grade teacher. Gerald was the Naval officer in charge of the Navy Command Center at the Pentagon on Sept. 11.
As she crossed the finish line last Sunday, the 80-year-old reflected on the past year in particular.
“The last year has been incredible and I can’t thank enough all the people at the Brigham who helped me get here,” DeConto said.
In early 2010, DeConto underwent a physical exam that found abnormalities in her heart rhythm. Further testing confirmed she had developed a tumor in her heart and required open heart surgery.
From there, a BWH interdisciplinary care team went into action, beginning with DeConto’s first visit to the hospital to see JoAnne M. Foody, MD, FACC, FAHA, medical director of the Cardiovascular Wellness Center and Pollin Cardiovascular Wellness Program, and followed by the multidisciplinary team that cared for her before and after her surgery—which was performed by cardiac surgeon Sary Aranki, MD, in October 2010—during stays at Shapiro Cardiovascular Center and the Tower.
“They were all genuinely interested in how I was doing and feeling, not just medically but as a family member would be,” she said.
DeConto says the care she received at BWH played an important role in enabling her complete the race this year, and that she was grateful to be able to participate in an event that takes place around the globe. On the day of the race, DeConto says, her son’s fellow servicemen in California and Iraq also ran in his honor.
“Jerry was a high-spirited, caring person who truly loved life, his friends and his family,” said DeConto. “By getting better, I was able to take part in the event and help carry on the legacy he left behind.”