Tony Lombardo of Forked River, NJ, is the epitome of a fighter. Lombardo is the son of immigrant parents and lived in Brooklyn, NY for a large portion of his life. However, his life changed when he was diagnosed at age 28 with multiple sclerosis (MS), right after the birth of his daughter.
MS is a nervous system disease that has the potential to affect the brain and spinal cord. It took doctors seven years to diagnose Lombardo, which was “emotionally taxing,” as one would imagine.
Even though Lombardo was affected by this life altering illness, his story is one of strength and courage. Rather than letting MS hold him back, it instead propelled him to inspire others with his words of courage.
Lombardo learned from others’ challenges and tales of how they overcame obstacles and used them as “a means of paying it forward.” He established the social impact organization, “Let’s Hear Your Story” which takes in stories of courage and conquering setbacks and shares them on his website.
Monmouth has a plethora of opportunities that students can use to help not only themselves, but also others in the community; the group is hoping to use some of their skills to help with Lombardo’s inspiring business venture.
Not only does Lombardo have a successful and opportune business, but he is also spreading an incredibly valuable message. Even with an illness that most could not even imagine having to live with, Lombardo is positive, upbeat and life loving. He greets everyone he meets with a smile and is inspired by those who have dealt with their own struggles, when he himself is an inspiration.
Lombardo is prided on the fact that he has never used MS as an excuse to remain stagnant, but has rather used it as a force to continue forward.
As Lombardo says, “Everyone has a story to tell. It takes someone strong to make someone strong.”
