A Heartfelt Plea for Frank Cornacchiulo's Recovery

We are reaching out to ask for your support for Frank Cornacchiulo, a loving husband, father of three, and dedicated community member in Rutherford, NJ, who is currently facing the devastating effects of West Nile Virus. Frank’s story is one of strength, resilience, and an ongoing battle for recovery, and we hope his journey will also help raise awareness of this severe, communicable disease.

Frank, who has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and was receiving Rituxan treatments, contracted West Nile Virus in August. This combination has been nearly fatal. Since August 8th, Frank has been hospitalized. What began as a regular day quickly turned into a nightmare. Today, Frank is bedridden, has a tracheostomy, and is unable to speak, eat, or walk. His prognosis is uncertain, and his road to recovery will be a long, difficult journey requiring extensive rehabilitation.

During his time in the ICU, Frank endured extremely high fevers, some exceeding 105°F, and his condition was touch-and-go for many days. He suffered a partially collapsed lung and developed pneumonia, leading to severe respiratory challenges. Initially, he needed intubation, but after almost two weeks, he required a tracheostomy to remain on a ventilator.

Thankfully, Frank has shown remarkable progress during his rehabilitation. In just three weeks, he was weaned off the ventilator and has even begun to speak a little. His resilience and determination to heal are inspiring, but he still needs extensive therapy to relearn basic functions such as breathing, moving, and communicating. With daily improvement, Frank is truly fighting his way back to the life he loves with his family.

A devoted father, Frank has always been an active part of his community. He is a Knight of Columbus, a member of St. Mary’s Church in Rutherford, has supported others generously, and is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of those around him. Frank worked in the financial industry and is currently an adjunct professor of Computer Science at CUNY, where he takes great pride in teaching and guiding young minds. He has volunteered countless hours working with children of all ages teaching and coaching them on multiple STEM subjects including robotics. To see him in this condition is heartbreaking, and we are committed to supporting his journey back to health.

This ordeal has placed an immense emotional and financial strain on Frank’s family. The mounting medical expenses and the necessary home modifications to support Frank’s recovery have brought on significant financial challenges.

We humbly ask for your help in any form, whether it be through a donation, a message of support, or sharing Frank’s story. Your generosity would mean the world to us and could make an extraordinary difference in Frank’s recovery. Together, we are hopeful that Frank can overcome this challenge and return to his family and community who love and need him.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for any support you can provide.