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MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. -- If you ask Tony Ciccone his reaction to finding out the Mount Kisco community had started an annual lacrosse tournament to help fund his medical care, he will tell you it was mostly surprise.
“I thought it was just going to be a t-shirt sale kind of thing, but it got a lot bigger than I thought it was,” said the Stamford resident and Fox Lane High School alum. “It was unexpected, that’s for sure.”
The LAXIN4TONY Boys & Girls Jamboree Invitational, hosted by Fox Lane Youth Lacrosse, was created after an injury playing high school lacrosse in 2001 left Ciccone paralyzed from the neck down. Proceeds from the event now pay for such medical costs as physical therapy, nursing assistance and a specialized van to transport him to and from rehabilitation.
The LAXIN4TONY Jamboree recently celebrated its second year on June 9 and 10. Forty-eight select teams from the tri-state area comprising fifth- sixth- seventh- and eighth-graders from around Westchester competed.
Even though the generosity of the community came as a welcome surprise, Ciccone said the funding garnered from LAXIN4TONY has been essential.
“My care is really expensive, and LAXIN4TONY has been a huge help,” he said. “I don’t know how I would have managed without it.”
Youth lacrosse players are not the only ones who have done their part in helping Ciccone’s cause. Leros Point to Point, Frannie’s Goodie Shop, Bellizzi, and Pepsi-Cola of the Hudson Valley are some of the local businesses who sponsor the event.
Despite his limited mobility, Ciccone is working on a project of his own: earning a college degree. He is halfway done with the online coursework necessary to earn a bachelor’s degree at The New School in New York City
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