Friends, family attend run to remember Nicole Gallo
UPPER DARBY >> With rays of sun pouring over the Bonner & Prendergast Catholic High School Saturday afternoon, dozens gathered to participate in the fourth annual Nicole Gallo Sunshine and Bubbles 5K, supporting the scholarship with the same name.
On Aug. 14, 2009, the 19-year-old was killed as she walked along Lansdowne Avenue, struck by a vehicle driven by a young woman who was under the influence of marijuana and inhalants.
“We’re happy that in her memory we have all these great people to come out and help us cherish the values that she had here and how much she loved Prendie,” her mom Donna Gallo said. “We’ve been able to help 26 students stay in school.”
Money from the race helps provide emergency financial aid to students whose parents have lost a job or gotten sick as well as fund a permanent scholarship for an incoming sophomore that follows them through their senior year.
Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood started the race with a bullhorn in hand. “I look forward to it every year,” he said. “It’s my way of giving back to the family who gives back to the community.”
Samantha McQuiston, a Prendergast sophomore, was participating in the race for the first time with her mom, Doris.
The Secane mother said she had heard about it through the school and she was excited to have the full experience.
Plus, she added, the cause was incredibly special.
“The kids who get the scholarship benefit,” she said. “It’s just a good thing all the way around.”
Donna Gallo, Nicole’s mom, explained how it started.
“If you’ve ever been to a funeral and you take all the pretty flowers to the (cemetery), deer eat them overnight – overnight,” she said. “I thought, ‘What a waste. So, maybe we could ask people to send money to the school.’ And they kept sending money, like $27,000 worth of money.”
Then, they had to decide what to do with it, which led to the scholarships being created.
Since Nicole had run track in grade school, in high school and while attending Lebanon Valley College, the family chose to go with a 5K.
“The first three years, we raised a little over $65,000,” Gallo said.
Yet, even with all the money raised, many of the meaningful moments come from those who share stories about Nicole.
They learned of a girl who was a freshman when Nicole was a senior. The younger student had been having a difficult time at home as her parents were getting a divorce.
And, she had a first-period test and had done poorly.
“She was walking in the hallway with her head down,” Donna Gallo said. “Nicole noticed her. She had this way of sensing. She jumped out of line with her friends, in front of this other girl …. and she lifted her chin and said, ‘Smile, you’re beautiful’ and she gave her a hug.”
Gallo said the girl told her, “It made me feel hopeful that the day was going to be good.”
Gallo said her daughter then noticed another student eating lunch in the art room by herself because she had been having difficulties with other students.
“Every day after that, she took her lunch and ate with her,” Gallo said. “It’s not like she came home and told us any of these things. She just did it because in her mind that was the right thing to do. It came naturally.”
Her family fondly remembered when the teen would tell others to not worry, but to take their troubles and “Put it in a bubble and blow it away.”
In addition to remembering Nicole, her parents hoped participants would walk away with a sense of cheer, in the same ebullient spirit Nicole had.
“It’s easy to let little things get you down,” Donna Gallo conceded but she asked others to take another look at the situation. “What’s so terrible about it? It could always be worse, and we know that. And even that, there’s people that lose their entire families.”
Despite their own loss, the Gallos were grateful for their 25-year-old son Steve and the many others who are in their lives and they hoped others could find reasons for thanks, too.
“We’re thankful that we have our family, we have our friends and we’d like people to share the optimism and joy,” Donna Gallo said.