Frankie's Road to Recovery
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On March 27th at approx. 12:00am, Frankie Terranova at only 33 years old, suffered a severe life-threatening Basal Ganglia stroke. This type of stroke occurs when blood leaks from a burst, torn, or unstable blood vessel into the tissue in the brain. The buildup of blood led to swelling, pressure, and likely brain damage. Frankie underwent emergency brain surgery to remove the hemorrhaged blood and stop further bleeding. He has been intubated and heavily sedated in the ICU at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, Virginia far from his home and family here in NJ.
Frankie is a 33 year old Combat Engineer Army Veteran who served in the Afghanistan War and currently works in Local 9 Plumber’s Union.
On Friday, March 26th, Danielle (Frankie’s fiancé) and Frankie hit the road with their puppies Sophie and Sasha, driving to Florida to visit Danielle’s father who was diagnosed with cancer in 2020. Danielle's father was undergoing several medical procedures and was released from the hospital just a few hours earlier.
Five hours into their trip Frankie started to complain of a severe headache so Danielle offered him an Advil to relieve the pain, but it didn’t help. A few minutes later he started to complain he was having trouble seeing. At this point Danielle insisted he pull over and let her drive, after which Danielle describes, “It was all downhill from there”. Within minutes Frankie was unable to feel his left arm, had slurred speech and his face began to show the typical signs of drooping associated with a stroke. He desperately expressed the need for help slurring over and over, “HOSPITAL! HOSPITAL!”.
Danielle quickly grabbed her phone and found the closest hospital, now 8 minutes away, and began driving to it in a hurry. When they arrived, Danielle hopped out of the truck, yes literally hopped since she has 2 torn ligaments in her foot and is on crutches, and two hospital workers rushed over to help. They got Frankie out of the truck and into the ER and immediately into a CT scan. They quickly identified the significant and severe hemorrhage and rushed him into emergency brain surgery. Little did Danielle know; she made the right decision in selecting this hospital as it was the only one in the area specializing in trauma and strokes. Any other hospital would have had to transfer Frankie to St. Mary’s resulting in a delay of the immediate care Frankie desperately needed.
Since then, it has not been an easy road, Frankie remains in the ICU at St. Mary’s under heavy sedation still intubated while fighting high blood pressure, fevers, and double pneumonia. Slowly his condition is beginning to improve as he is responding well to pain and is coughing on his own, but he continues to need several procedures to clear his lungs of blockages and medication changes to manage his high blood pressure. There is a long road of recovery ahead for Frankie and so much of his condition is still unknown. While Frankie is still intubated and heavily sedated, the full extent of any brain damage from the stroke is still very much unknown.
To help offset Danielle’s expenses while Frank continues to be hospitalized in VA far from home, friends, and family, as well as to provide support for Frankie’s long road to recovery we are asking for donations to assist with medical expenses, lost wages, bills, etc. Our family is doing our best to support Frankie emotionally & financially and we appreciate any help you can offer to make this tough time a little easier.
Frank is a very loving, caring son, husband, brother, cousin, nephew, uncle and friend. He served his country valiantly, selflessly and with honor. His struggle and adaptation since returning from Afghanistan has not been an easy one. Frank(like so many other of our military heroes) returned from his tour with many scars that war will bring. TBI(traumatic brain injury) and severe PTSD are just a few of the injuries Frank sustained and returned with. The scars run deep and his battles upon his return were daily if not hourly. Now his greatest battle lies ahead.
This man selflessly sacrificed his life for his country and our Freedoms and it is now time to return the favor to this American Hero. Your prayers and assistance are needed now more than ever. Please find it in your heart to assist Frank and his family on his long road to recovery. Any amount you can contribute would be so greatly appreciated. God Bless you all and God Bless Frank.
This is a tough time for the Terranova Family. We ask that anyone wanting to reach out in support or for updates please email us.
Frankie is a 33 year old Combat Engineer Army Veteran who served in the Afghanistan War and currently works in Local 9 Plumber’s Union.
On Friday, March 26th, Danielle (Frankie’s fiancé) and Frankie hit the road with their puppies Sophie and Sasha, driving to Florida to visit Danielle’s father who was diagnosed with cancer in 2020. Danielle's father was undergoing several medical procedures and was released from the hospital just a few hours earlier.
Five hours into their trip Frankie started to complain of a severe headache so Danielle offered him an Advil to relieve the pain, but it didn’t help. A few minutes later he started to complain he was having trouble seeing. At this point Danielle insisted he pull over and let her drive, after which Danielle describes, “It was all downhill from there”. Within minutes Frankie was unable to feel his left arm, had slurred speech and his face began to show the typical signs of drooping associated with a stroke. He desperately expressed the need for help slurring over and over, “HOSPITAL! HOSPITAL!”.
Danielle quickly grabbed her phone and found the closest hospital, now 8 minutes away, and began driving to it in a hurry. When they arrived, Danielle hopped out of the truck, yes literally hopped since she has 2 torn ligaments in her foot and is on crutches, and two hospital workers rushed over to help. They got Frankie out of the truck and into the ER and immediately into a CT scan. They quickly identified the significant and severe hemorrhage and rushed him into emergency brain surgery. Little did Danielle know; she made the right decision in selecting this hospital as it was the only one in the area specializing in trauma and strokes. Any other hospital would have had to transfer Frankie to St. Mary’s resulting in a delay of the immediate care Frankie desperately needed.
Since then, it has not been an easy road, Frankie remains in the ICU at St. Mary’s under heavy sedation still intubated while fighting high blood pressure, fevers, and double pneumonia. Slowly his condition is beginning to improve as he is responding well to pain and is coughing on his own, but he continues to need several procedures to clear his lungs of blockages and medication changes to manage his high blood pressure. There is a long road of recovery ahead for Frankie and so much of his condition is still unknown. While Frankie is still intubated and heavily sedated, the full extent of any brain damage from the stroke is still very much unknown.
To help offset Danielle’s expenses while Frank continues to be hospitalized in VA far from home, friends, and family, as well as to provide support for Frankie’s long road to recovery we are asking for donations to assist with medical expenses, lost wages, bills, etc. Our family is doing our best to support Frankie emotionally & financially and we appreciate any help you can offer to make this tough time a little easier.
Frank is a very loving, caring son, husband, brother, cousin, nephew, uncle and friend. He served his country valiantly, selflessly and with honor. His struggle and adaptation since returning from Afghanistan has not been an easy one. Frank(like so many other of our military heroes) returned from his tour with many scars that war will bring. TBI(traumatic brain injury) and severe PTSD are just a few of the injuries Frank sustained and returned with. The scars run deep and his battles upon his return were daily if not hourly. Now his greatest battle lies ahead.
This man selflessly sacrificed his life for his country and our Freedoms and it is now time to return the favor to this American Hero. Your prayers and assistance are needed now more than ever. Please find it in your heart to assist Frank and his family on his long road to recovery. Any amount you can contribute would be so greatly appreciated. God Bless you all and God Bless Frank.
This is a tough time for the Terranova Family. We ask that anyone wanting to reach out in support or for updates please email us.
Organizer and beneficiary
Jason Anthony
Organizer
Lebanon, NJ
Jason Terranova
Beneficiary