By Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz
RedEye
Lauren LaViola, a 27-year-old administrative assistant who lives in Lincoln Park, said she's always been terrified of heights.
But as she prepared Sunday to rappel 27 stories down the front of The Wit hotel in the name of lung health, LaViola's fears gave way to thoughts of her father, who died of lung cancer two months ago.
"I'm a little nervous," LaViola said quietly, clutching her harness, moments before she stepped out onto the hotel roof downtown. "But I'm OK. I'm just not going to look down."
LaViola was among 80 people who rappelled 27 stories from the roof of The Wit hotel Sunday to raise money for the Respiratory Healthhttp://www.chicagonow.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt.cgi?__mode=view&_type=entry&id=27262&blog_id=6 Association of Metropolitan Chicago. The event raised $96,000 as of Sunday, association president Joel Africk said, but he expected to exceed the $100,000 goal by the Oct. 31 fundraising deadline.
Though some participants signed up for the thrill of the rappel, many had been touched by lung disease.
Keith Franzen of Northbrook, the lead fundraiser with $6,260, said he was rappelling in honor of his brother, who received a double lung transplant last November after being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Franzen, 41, said he wanted to raise awareness of IPF, a condition of unknown cause that makes the lungs scarred and thick.
LaViola, who raised $3,100, said she hoped her rappel would get friends to think twice about smoking.
"If my dad could face the fear of dying, I think I could face my fear of heights," LaViola said. Her father, Larry LaViola, a physician's assistant who smoked for more than 40 years, passed away Aug. 29, seven weeks after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer.
As LaViola dangled several hundred feet above ground, her mother, Susie LaViola, looked up from the corner of State and Lake Streets and shouted: "Pops is watching!"
When LaViola touched down, she embraced her tearful mom, who had flown in from Georgia to watch. Exhausted but smiling, LaViola said she hadn't felt scared; the only thing on her mind as she descended was her dad.
"It's what got me down," she said.
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2 Comments
BreathinSteven said:
Hey Alexia!!!
Thank you for taking the plunge! It was interesting watching your video - I do imagine it would be petrifying as I'm a bit afraid of heights myself... I also think I may have to try it next year!
And thanks for highlighting these other folks. These 80 people raised an amazing amount of money. The thousand bucks in pledges to participate is an awesome committment - and as you pointed out, several raised much more than that... I was there as a volunteer and so so many of them in the afternoon. They are all my heroes.
Ten years ago, I was dying - my lungs were failing after years of struggling with cystic fibrosis. A precious 17-year-old girl from Iowa told her family twice in the month before she died how strongly she felt about organ donation. I breathe with her lungs, and I think about her throughout the day, every day...
I also think about these crazy people rappelling down this building and raising funds for research and so many other things - who are also the reason why people like me with lung disease will live longer, better lives... I'm alive because of that beautiful girl. I'm also alive because of so many people like them. Thank you for bringing them to our attention... Love, Steve
Steve Ferkau
Chicago, IL
www.ClimbingForKari.org
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz said:
Hi Steve! Thanks so much for the touching comment, and for sharing your story. As petrifying as it was, the plunge was a great event for a great cause, and I'm proud to have been part of it. Good luck if you decide to rappel next year!
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