FACULTY SPOTLIGHT 35 The Healing Power of Community Featuring Carol Ippolito For more than a decade, Carol Ippolito has been a familiar and beloved presence within the halls of Aquinas. Whether teaching middle school science, coaching modified sports, assisting with DECA, performing with the band, helping with school musicals, chaperoning class trips, or even dressing up as a friendly Leprechaun on St. Patrick’s Day, Carol has always been deeply woven into the fabric of the AQ community. “I enjoy the family atmosphere and how well the teachers work together,” Carol shared. “It is a second family to me.” That sense of family became more important than ever earlier this year when Carol faced a life-threatening medical emergency that doctors described as nothing short of miraculous. What began as what she believed was the flu after school on February 13 quickly became something much more serious. By February 16, Carol was transported by ambulance to Rochester General Hospital, where doctors struggled to determine what was wrong before diagnosing her with sepsis. The prognosis was grim. Carol was given just a 10% chance of survival with kidney damage, and only a 0.5% chance of surviving without kidney damage at all. Today, Carol is part of that extraordinary 0.5%. “I came home from the hospital on March 16,” she said. While her return home marked a major milestone, the road to recovery has continued long after leaving the hospital. Carol still faces lingering physical and emotional challenges, including compressed nerves in her arms and hands that prevent her from driving, ongoing healing from a severe head wound, adjusting to insulin treatments, and what she describes as “hospital brain,” also known as, moments of forgetfulness, emotion, and mental fatigue that often follow major medical trauma. Yet through it all, Carol says there were two things that carried her forward: faith and connection. “Definitely the power of prayer,” she said. “Aquinas, my sister’s church, and several friends and family were praying for me. When the doctors would tell me I was a miracle, I would tell them it was the power of prayer.” During some of her darkest moments, Carol found strength in prayer, televised Mass, receiving communion in the hospital, and the words of Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. She also experienced something deeply personal and spiritual that continues to stay with her today. “My two great-nephews who died in a car accident eight years ago came to me and told me I had to go back and that it wasn’t my time to follow them,” Carol shared. “My students, family, and friends still needed me.” Throughout her recovery, the Aquinas community became an extension of that healing. Prayers, cards, messages, and well wishes from students, faculty, staff, and families reminded Carol she was never alone. Visits from close friends, including fellow faculty member Mrs. Jocelyn Baschnagel, helped keep her connected to the AQ community while also allowing updates to be shared with colleagues so Carol could focus on healing without becoming overwhelmed. “As they say, it takes a village to raise a child, well, it takes a village to help someone heal,” Carol reflected. “Knowing you have the support of a community makes healing so much easier.” And perhaps most remarkable of all was Carol’s determination to return. While many people facing such a traumatic medical experience may have stepped away for an extended period of time, Carol returned to Aquinas before the school year even ended. Why? “I missed my students and my AQ family,” she explained. That answer perfectly captures who Carol is at her core. Over the years, Carol has seen firsthand the impact a teacher can have on a student’s life. She recalls one student who once believed he would never live past the age of 18 because of the environment he grew up in. With encouragement and support, he became the first member of his family to attend college. Another former student who once claimed to hate science later pursued chemistry and now works as an arson investigator for the Rochester Fire Department. “Sometimes you don’t see the results,” Carol said. “You just have to hope you touched them in some way.” Her story is a reminder that the Aquinas connection extends far beyond classrooms and school events. It is found in prayer, compassion, encouragement, and the unwavering support of a community that walks beside one another during life’s most difficult moments. When asked what message she would share with someone facing challenges of their own, Carol’s answer was simple, yet powerful: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Know that you have support from family and friends to help you through difficult times in your life. Always remember: Faith Over Fear.” For Carol Ippolito, healing was never just physical. It was strengthened by faith, carried by community, and rooted in the people who reminded her that Aquinas is more than a school: it is family. Carol with Chase Acker ’29 Carol with Mrs. Jennifer Rybak Carol helping with Honor Flight Rochester
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTcyNDA=