Boardman youth shares birthday with tragic event
Neighbors | Submitted .During his birthday, Vincent Armeni (center) spent time with friends, playing outside and trying out some new video games. Vincent's friends are, from left, Anthony Snyder, Andrew Sabella, Colin Balas, and Gregory Morgione.
Neighbors | Submitted .Vincent Armeni's birthday turned into an entire weekend celebration. On Sept. 10, Armeni celebrated with family, wearing his favorite New York Mets jersey during the festivities. Armeni's immediate family include older brother Nicholas Armeni (front left), little brother Vito Armeni, himself, and cousins Lauren Grimm (back left), Nicole Grimm, and Anthony Elberty.
By SARAH FOOR
On Sept. 11, 2001, people around the world were glued to the television as the terrorist attacks on our country unfolded.
Boardman resident Alyssa Armeni spent that morning watching the news with her co-workers at St. Elizabeth Hospital, until the afternoon when she felt the first distinctive pangs of labor.
On what was a very sad day in history, Vincent Armeni nonetheless brought great joy to his family when he was born Sept. 11, 2001.
Ten years later, Vince is an active athlete and student at St. Christine School in Cornersburg. This summer, he helped his Mill Creek 9U baseball team nab a win in the Cal Ripken State of Ohio tournament and competed in the Ohio Valley Regionals. When he isn’t the one on the field, he’s a huge New York Mets fan.
Armeni is only just beginning to truly grasp what happened the day he was born and what it means.
“I watch the news on my birthday. It’s scary to watch it all, and really sad.”
Armeni has spent most of his 10 birthdays playing outside with his friends and celebrating with family, with dad Rob Armeni, older brother Nicholas, and younger brother Vito. This year, Vince celebrated over the weekend and spent the day of his birthday at his flag football league game.
Armeni said not many kids his age understand what happened on his birthday, either.
“Most people that find out about Vince’s birthday are older, lived through that day, and always tell us, ‘I’m sorry.’ They don’t want the tragedy to overshadow a day that is his,” explained dad, Rob Armeni.
“We don’t think of it that way,” Alyssa Armeni attested. “Joys can be found even on the worst days. Despite the tragedy, celebrating Vince on his birthday is always and will always be a happy day for our family.”