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Health & Fitness

Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation Hosts Benefit Mother's Day Luncheon

Luncheon to Help Purchase Aquatic Therapy Room for CT Boy Injured After Hurricane Sandy

Luncheon to Help Purchase Aquatic Therapy Room for CT Boy Injured After Hurricane Sandy, By Laura Schwartz

The Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs and their families, is hosting its annual Mother’s Day Luncheon on May 10th at Salem Golf Club in North Salem, NY.

In addition to raising money for the Foundation through a silent auction, theFoundation is also hoping to raise money for an aquatic therapy room for a Connecticut boy who was tragically injured last November during clean-up after Hurricane Sandy.

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Robby Klimaytis, a happy, bright, four year old who was playing outside his father Greg’s home in Redding, was pinned under a tree stump after the tree trunk was cut.   The weight of the stump compressed Robby’s lungs and his heart stopped for almost thirty minutes while the West Redding Fire Department quickly tried to rescue him.

Robby, who lives with his mother Angela and grandparents Judith and Bob McCulloch in Somers, CT, needs a hot tub for aquatic therapy so that his muscles can stay loose.  “We are trying to add a room in which we could put a hot tub for aqua therapy, which would be very helpful in keeping his body moving and preventing painful contractures, which have begun,” Judith explained.   “Because he cannot go outside and breathe cold air safely, it must be enclosed for year-round use.”  

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The Foundation is hoping to raise money for the materials to build the room that will house the hot tub, and also for the hot tub itself.  The total cost of materials and hot tub is $16,200.   A contractor is donating his time to build the room.

“Robby is precious,” says Jean Cobelli, Foundation Board Member.   “I had the privilege of meeting him, his mother and grandparents.  We are hoping
help make things a little easier for the caring of this special boy.”  Online donations will be accepted on the Foundation’s website, Jean explained, if someone wants to help, but cannot attend the luncheon.

“That first day was a miracle that he stayed alive,” Judith said.   After being rescued by the fire department, Robby needed to be resuscitated and was put on a ventilator. He was initially brought to Danbury Hospital but was then airlifted to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center’s Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in Hartford.  Because his heart stopped for almost 30 minutes, his brain suffered oxygen deprivation, effectively killing all cells but the stem.  He is diagnosed with
anoxic brain injury and requires 24-hour home care. Doctors did not think Robby could survive on his own.

However, when he was taken off the ventilator, he kept breathing.  “That was the second miracle,” Judith said.  

Robby has been home since December and is being cared for by Judith, who left her job after the accident, and Bob, who was already retired and who Judy describes as “Robby’s best friend.”  They, along with family members, including
mom Angela and dad Greg, take turns sleeping in the same room with him to make sure he is comfortable during the night. 

The family describes Robby as smart, compassionate and caring.   He “is a light to everyone he meets.”   Judith said, “After the accident, his body has gotten better. He just needs his brain to be restored.”

The luncheon will be held at the Salem Golf Club in North Salem, NY on May 10th at 11:30. For more information about the Foundation or the luncheon, please visit www.mollytango.org. Tickets to the luncheon can be purchased online.  For
those who cannot attend the luncheon but would like to make a donation to the Foundation for the Team Robby Aqua Room fund, please go to www.mollytango.org and choose “donate now.”  Be sure to choose “Team Robby” when selecting how you want your donation to be spent.  

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