Friends, Family and the City of Everett
Dear Editor,
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to all who came out, supported, and organized Brandon Conde Day. It was a major success. Your support will go a long way in this new journey Brandon is embarking on. This experience has taught us that we are stronger together, and the way that the community has lent a helping hand is a perfect example of that. Never did we think something this tragic would happen, but to know that we have the support and aid of the entire city and then some is remarkable. Because of you all extending yourself to help us, we have reached our $50,000 goal. Words can’t express how grateful we are because of it.
Your kindness and generosity will help not only Brandon and his recovery, but also it provides relief to our family – which gives way for us to focus on Brandon and his therapies. Brandon has a long road ahead of him, but without the support of the community it would’ve been exponentially harder. Everett has always been our home, and to have the support and kindness of everyone, it certainly feels like family.
Through this experience we have learned just how important life is and how quickly it can change. Every minute is a gift, and to know that this community understands and wants to help in any way possible is truly moving. We appreciate everything you have and are doing to help us through this hard time. Thank you to everyone at the Mayor’s Office, Mayor Carlo DeMaria, the Police and Fire Departments. The City employees who showed their support, the Interim Superintendent Janice Gauthier, all of the Everett schools who showed out and wore their red. The teachers and administrators encouraging their students and showing how important it is to help those who need it, all of the Everett business supporting and participating in Brandon Conde Day, the Schiavo Club, and everyone who helped with logistics, donated food and the Whiskey 6 band, as well as all of the small details that were executed perfectly for Brandon Conde Day.
We are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support, and we will never forget how Everett helped us when we needed it most.
Thank you immensely.
The Conde Family
What Everett is All About
Dear Editor,
On September 26, Widmac Laterion and Jess Trejo came to my office to share the story of their friend, Brandon Conde, who had suffered a life-altering spinal cord injury which rendered him a tetraplegic. While telling me the moving story of Brandon, I could feel the love they had for Brandon and it compelled me to help them out in any way that I could. At the time, the GoFundMe they set up for Brandon had achieved a donation total of $16,500, well-short of their $50,000 goal.
Brandon’s story stuck with me. After discussing with my staff, we came up with the idea of dedicating a day to this young man. On October 24, “Brandon Conde Day”, we asked that everyone, city-wide, wear red and donate to Brandon’s cause.
On the morning of October 24, Brandon’s GoFundMe had reached $22,000. However, the City of Everett, its employees, its students, and its residents knew how vitally important their role was in helping to achieve the goal of $50,000. During the day, over $10,000 was donated directly to the GoFundMe account. The School Department matched this, donating an additional $10,000. Following the City-sponsored Brandon Conde event at the Shiavo Club on the night of October 24, I am proud to announce that we managed to surpass the $50,000 goal. As a community, we raised close to $30,000 in one day, and words truly cannot express how proud I am of everyone who helped make this goal a reality.
But, our incredible City is not done yet. Personal checks and donations to Brandon’s GoFundMe are still pouring in.
My wife, my daughter Alex, and myself truly enjoyed an evening at the Schiavo Club with Brandon, his friends from the Everett High School Class of 2012, and various supporters from the City. Brandon expressed not only his immense gratitude for the City’s support but also his optimism that he will regain his ability to walk. This young man is a fighter and he has the entire City of Everett in his corner.
I want to reiterate how proud I am of Everett. It is clear that Everett is so much more than just a city; Everett is a community. And, when a member of our community is in need, we band together and show our true colors.
This is what Everett is all about.
Carlo DeMaria, Mayor
Straighten out the Record
Dear Editor,
I would like to set the record straight.
In last week’s edition you featured an interview by Seth Daniel with the candidates for School Committee Ward 3 entitled ‘The Same Yesterday and Today?’
My opponent, Mr. Parker, stated he was in High School working on a Mayoral campaign and he remembered vividly the advertisement referring to Mr. Covelle in 1981.
Mr. Parker graduated from Everett High School in 1978.
Also, Mr. Parker would like you to believe I attacked his 82-year-old mother and his son’s job performance.
You can read all of my advertisements and you will see that I never criticized his families’ job performance.
I only wanted to point out that they were both on the School Department payroll along with his wife.
Thank you for allowing me to straighten out the record.
Robert A. Santacroce
Candidate, Ward 3 School Committee