FRANKLY FRANGO

PAUL VOTANO: COURAGE & CARING: AN UNBEATABLE COMBINATION

by John Frango

5-12-00

Paul Votano of Crestwood, N.Y., often walks with the aid of a cane these days. But he still stands ramrod straight and 8 feet tall in the eyes of those who know and love him.

Adversity, they say, only serves to enhance the character of people with courage. And Mr. Votano is an inspiring example of that axiom.

At this juncture, I'm just going to tell you about some simple but impressive stats concerning Mr. Votano's career: he graduated from Iona Prep in New Rochelle, N.Y. and then went to New York University where he earned a BA in journalism. . . he is a Korean War veteran and was discharged as a staff sergeant. . . he was then hired by the prestigious Prentice-Hall Publishing Company as an advertising copywriter. . . he then held management jobs with RCA, Squibb, US Plywood and was a group vice president for 16 years at the highly-respected Creamer Dickson Basford Public Relations firm.

In 1984, Mr. Votano worked for Argo Communications as manager of corporate communications and then opened his own shop-Votano Marketing Communications.

These accomplishments, of course, are indeed impressive: but they pale when compared with Mr. Votano's courage and humility.

He suffered Guillain-Barre Syndrome in 1986. It's a dreadfully debilitating disease that invades the outer layers of the nervous system and literally leaves the body paralyzed. He was on a business trip to San Diego when I received a call from him telling me he was immobilized. It was--as you can imagine-devastating news.

"I eventually went to Burke Rehabilitation Center in White Plains for five months," recalls Mr. Votano. "The physical and occupational therapists there were extraordinary people. I can't express my appreciation for their interest in me. They will live in my heart until I die."

A lesser man would have let the mental anguish of a brutal condition invade his attitude: but Paul Votano is a man of exceptional resiliency--and came back with more enthusiasm and vitality than ever.

He recalls that Joe Heller, author of the savagely satirical Catch 22 in 1961, was also a patient at Burke. Heller romanced a private nurse in his care and eventually married her. He was also a close friend of Mario Puzzo, writer of the irresponsible The Godfather.

Andy Griffin was another famous patient at Burke. He played the defense lawyer in TV's popular "Matlock," and his ruthless and compelling portrait of the rube-rogue in A Face in the Crowd in 1957 was a movie classic.

"I would have been in terrific company," laughs Mr. Votano, "if both those talented men were there when I was a patient," adding, "I did read Heller's whimsical I'll Die Laughing."

He says the attention given to him by staff members at Burke was so memorable and beautiful he visits the complex every chance he gets.

But the Votano tragedy didn't stop there. A year ago Mr. Votano was diagnosed with prostate cancer: he underwent radiation therapy for months and needed a seed implant: that illness lasted from January until July.

"My sons and I had a sensitive situation," explains Mr. Votano. "Should we tell my mother or not. We decided not to let her know."

Mr. Votano's beloved mother died just a few months ago--and while she was hospitalized her devoted son visited and comforted her every day. And that kind of parental respect has sadly gone out of style. Of course, Mr. Votano was practicing "family values" long before the lack of family values became a societal issue in America.

Naturally, Mr. Votano has an emotional affinity for those with physical drawbacks or other handicaps. He speaks animatedly of a 15-year-old Anthony DeMatteo, gutsy and talented athlete with a withered right arm currently attending Somers High School.

"I was at a dinner honoring the Roosevelt High School football team and the very formidable running back and future pro Hall of Famer, Marcus Allen, was the keynote speaker," Mr. Votano remembers.

Anthony's father is the legendary Tony DeMatteo--for 31 years head of football at Roosevelt High School in Yonkers, N.Y.

He has won more high school football games than any other high school coach in Westchester, Putnam and Duchess counties.

Allen happens to mention that Young DeMatteo scored 30 points in a basketball game. Suddenly, a voice from the audience interrupts Allen and young DeMatteo shouts: "That's 32 points." Everyone laughed.

Meantime, Mr. Votano has written the highly readable Westchester County: New York's Golden Apple. Says the author, "It was for the Westchester County Chamber of Commerce. I had the opportunity to work closely with a very bright and wonderful man, Harold Vogt."

The writer has just completed The Trouble With Youth Sports and hopes to have it published soon. He is now researching a book on baseball relief pitchers--which I consider a highly saleable commodity--and a sports topic made for HBO-TV--"Now Warming Up in the Bullpen"--a magnificent bit of history about the evolution of relief pitching.

The day Mr. Votano and I met for lunch at the lovely Mulino's in White Plains, I brought along Once They Heard the Cheer by the extremely competent sportswriter Will Heinz. It's about athletes who had achieved momentary glory and then faded into obscurity.

One of the stories features Joe Page of the New York Yankees. Joe was among the "great" relief pitchers. I thought I'd stop Mr. Votano with a bit of baseball trivia.

"Who was the player who roomed with the great Joe DiMaggio?"

I questioned him.

"Joe Page," says the sports enthusiast without giving it a second thought.

Mr. Votano was proud and excited to tell me that his son, Greg, will soon be a father. "My daughter-in-law, Theresa, is expecting in June," he beams. "Whether it's a girl or boy--I'll be a proud grandpop. Just so it's healthy."

As you'd expect, Mr. Votano has been involved with sports organizations most of his life--volunteering his time unselfishly. He's worked with the Hillcrest Lakers in Yonkers and the Eastchester Blue Devils Pop Warner Football Program where he was president for 5 years.

Meanwhile, he has been Past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus in Tuckahoe and a past president of Marketing Communications International, New York Chapter.

The guy has inordinate energy and just doesn't stop: he's also been a radio and TV personality on stations throughout Westchester.

This piece is not a valentine but a validation of a man who has suffered and survived against tough odds.

For some unexplained reason I'm thinking now of the absolutely engrossing and action-packed 1939 film, Gunga Din: I take the liberty to rewrite some of the beautiful words spoken by the masterful and polished British actor, Montague Love, as he says at the grave of the heroic waterboy, Din, played touchingly by Sam Jaffe--"By the living God who made you, you're a better man than most of us, Paul Votano."