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Teen gets wish for space to hang with friends
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After the room make-over, Dante DelSignore’s basement became an official “man cave,” complete with football memorabilia and big screen TV. DelSignore, who was first diagnosed with bone cancer in 2007, saw the basement for the first time Thursday.
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This is what Dante DelSignore’s basement looked like before the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted his request for a “man cave.”
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Dante DelSignore relaxes Thursday in his new “man cave” with his dad, Gregory DelSignore, sister Tina DelSignore and mom Carrie DelSignore. The plush couch and tables were donated by Broyhill furniture through Goldsteins Furniture & Bedding on U.S. Route 224.
BOARDMAN
For a split-second, Dante DelSignore didn’t know what to say.
“Holy moly,” said the 18-year-old as he looked around his family’s remodeled basement, complete with a big-screen TV.
DelSignore’s new “man cave” at his parent’s township home was coordinated by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The plush couch and tables were donated by Broyhill furniture through Goldsteins Furniture & Bedding on U.S. Route 224.
DelSignore was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, or bone cancer, in April 2007. He recovered and was cancer-free until this May when a scan revealed a tumor in his lung.
His wish was for a “man cave,” a place where he and his friends could gather outside of school. The senior at Cardinal Mooney is taking this semester off so he can finish his cancer treatments. He is set to finish his classes and graduate in the spring.
The room makeover “reveal” Thursday afternoon was a welcome distraction for DelSignore, who was in the hospital briefly this week when he had a fever and reaction to his treatment.
“Today I feel a lot better. I feel back to normal, and this really cheers me up,” he said.
DelSignore gravitated to the end of the oversized couch and reclined.
“This is my spot. ... I love it,” he said.
Senior Wish Program Manager Krista Kirby said Broyhill, a Make-A-Wish national partner, is sponsoring 50 furniture-related wishes nationwide this year.
To qualify for Make-A-Wish, a child must have a life-threatening condition at the time of referral, and the child’s doctor must submit an eligibility form, Kirby said. Last year, Make-A-Wish granted 160 wishes to children in Northeast Ohio.