By Anne W. Semmes
Last Tuesday the Town of Greenwich proclaimed Lisa Grace LaRusso Day on her 60th birthday, November 1. The Proclamation lists numerous accomplishments, including her “Certificate of Completion from Greenwich High School, with perhaps the last listing a standout – Lisa received the Kristine Lily Award for Successful Women in Connecticut for her involvement in the Special Olympics in 2007. Nowhere on that proclamation does it state that Lisa has lived her life successfully for 60 years with Down Syndrome.
Lisa’s whole life has been filled with love. Visiting in her Pemberwick home where she lives with her mother, Grace LaRusso, an alert 101 years, the story is told of that day 60 years ago when Grace gave birth to Lisa, her sixth child. Upon learning the diagnosis, Grace was advised by her doctor not to bring her baby home, “Because I had five children and it wouldn’t be fair to the children,” she tells. “I didn’t know what Down Syndrome was, and then we couldn’t afford to put her in a home, so we sought help from the town.”
A social worker from the Town arrived to discuss financing needed for a home for Lisa. And while the social worker was laying out the funds, Grace’s children were arriving home from school. Seeing them all, the social worker suddenly turned to Grace and said, “I think you have enough love here for that child.”
“And that was the first word of encouragement I had,” tells Grace, “Because I didn’t know what Down Syndrome was. So, when my husband came home from work, I said to him, “Quick, let’s go get her.’ So, we went and got her and have never been sorry one day.”
Lisa listens to this story, sitting on the living room couch. She has a sore foot she’s nursing so is out of work this week. For half her life Lisa has worked from 10 to 3 p.m. in the Suny Purchase Dining Hall bussing tables – surely seeing a lot of students – while “keeping the dining room impeccably clean,”
Lisa shows a photo of her fellow workers presenting her with a birthday cake. “Nice people,” she says, “They sang Happy Birthday to me.” “She’s had three bosses, and they all love her,” says her resident friend, Silvana Griffith, who serves also as caregiver for Lisa and her mom. She adds, “And sometimes at Christmas Lisa is given presents by the students. Everybody loves her.”
That power of love is often being expressed for Lisa.
Lisa early on excelled in sports. “She didn’t walk until she was three years old, but she’s been running ever since,” notes Silvana. At age 10 she had joined the Special Olympics in Connecticut, competing in speed walking, running, speed skating, volleyball, tennis, swimming, and most recently golf. “Her Special Olympic medals and ribbons are too numerous to count,” tells Silvana. “Her mom tells her the house is going to tip over because of all the medals in her room.”
Lisa was 16 when she won the Kristine Lily Award which honors women of “honor, integrity, leadership, and excellence” in the Special Olympics. “When Lisa went to receive the award,” tells Mother Grace, “She stood up to talk to a big audience, and said, ‘I love you all,’ and had a standing ovation.”
So how did Lisa and Silvana meet? In a Bible Study group led by Stanwich Church member Debbie Reynolds. It’s a story of longevity.
“Three sisters, Grace (101), her oldest sister Mary, now 110, and Millie Popp in her 90’s, born and raised on Pemberwick Road, were all in my Bible Study years ago,” tells Debbie, “And all but Mary who lost her hearing, still come to the Bible Study on Zoom.”
And joining that Bible Study some eight years ago came Silvana, Debbie’s “long-time technical helper.” “Silvana moved into an apartment in Grace’s house,” tells Debbie, “And then became the caregiver for Grace and Lisa. A happier threesome you can’t imagine! So, we are all great friends. And Silvana, who has health problems herself, and Lisa are the best of friends.”
This year has been “the most difficult year” of Silvana’s life, she tells with the loss of her dog of 13 years and an amputation of her right leg below the knee. “My foot had arthritis,” she tells. After eight unsuccessful surgeries to replace her ankle, she chose amputation. “But I could not have gone through all this without Lisa,” she tells, “No way.”
Lisa smiles, though she likely misses her neighborhood walks with Silvana. The subject moves to music. Lisa likes she says, “All different kinds.” “She loves Aretha Franklin,” says Silvana. “Every time she hears Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect’ her body just starts dancing.” Alexa plays “Respect” and Lisa rises to the occasion, moving her hips.
But there is one unfortunate piece of this love story, Mother Grace tells. “I never found out the name of that woman who made the big difference when she said to me, “I think you have enough love here for that baby.” Maybe, she says, one day she’ll search the Town archives. “Then again,” she notes, “You don’t know whether she’s still living too now.”
