Field of Dreams: Boston College football hosts unforgettable day for people with disabilities

Boston Globe

a day ago

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Around 50 participants attended the fourth event held at Boston College, and Fuller secured her second field goal in a row.
'Guys helping guys that have special needs,' Fuller said. 'It's important just getting together and stuff. And all of them taking their time from school to help out with the event, put an event together and all of that. It's just really fun!'
For the past eight years, Beautiful Lives has held events in the US Open, and with basketball, football and baseball teams at the professional and college level across the country. Organizers hope to expand their national outreach and extend into women's sports.
Dylan Pomarole, 14, from Norwood, fires the football into a net as Boston College offensive tackle Kevin Cline looks on. Children and adults with disabilities experienced football training with members and staff of the Boston College football team inside the Fish Fieldhouse on Wednesday for the annual event called the Beautiful Lives Project.
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
The organization was co-founded in 2017 by Bryce Weiler, 34, from Claremont, Ill. It all began after Weiler, who is blind, sat on the basketball bench for the University of Evansville.
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'I want to allow individuals with disabilities their own opportunities with their dreams and life, and find people who want to help them to be successful,' Weiler said.
Weiler pitched his idea to pharmaceutical CEO Anthony Iacovone, who owned the New Britain Bees baseball team at the time. Iacovone helped fund the organization, and they held their first event with the Bees that same year.
While neither Weiler or Iacovone were able to attend the event, Tony Gionfriddo, 67, from New Britain, Conn., supervised with the help of representatives from Boston College. He was a sales director for the Bees when he joined Beautiful Lives. Although he is twice retired, his friendship with Weiler led him to his current position as executive director of the project.
'If you didn't leave this event with goosebumps, then I didn't do my job,' Gionfriddo said.
Gionfriddo, who was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia two years ago, said he is committed to continuing the organization's mission of inclusion.
'People are going through a lot worse than I. So I have no complaints,' Gionfriddo said.
Gionfriddo was accompanied by his Boston College's alumni daughter Laura Vieira, his son-in-law, and three granddaughters, who got out of school to help their grandfather set up goodie bags and gold football trophies for the participants.
One of the participants, Dylan Pomarole, from Norwood, is in the eighth grade and has autism. Dylan arrived early and was jumping with excitement at getting the chance to meet the players for the first time. He says he's been to a football game, but doesn't recognize the players without their helmets on.
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Running back Alex Broome, who just returned to the field after a torn ACL, hyped up Dylan's dance moves at the touchdown celebration station. He said events like these give him perspective on his own privilege.
'I think it's always good to see how, no matter the day they are having, when they come to see us, they're always happy and ready to participate in whatever we have lined up,' Broome said.
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Cameron Massaro, 7, from Winchester, is visually impaired, and a big Boston College football fan. He attended the event with his mom Jackie, who just finished her second year doctorate program at the nursing school.
'We like to come to things that give him opportunities to participate in ways that he normally wouldn't have,' Massaro said.
Massaro couldn't help but do the 'Griddy' dance at the endzone, get his picture taken with the team, and pass the football around with a couple of players.
'It means a lot to our school because our motto is 'Men and Women for others,' and this shows it,' said Ryan Mickow, offensive linebacker for the team who helped Massaro score at the target toss station.
Ricky Tiriel, 65, from Needham's Charles River Center, which works with people with disabilities, briefly worked at Boston College 20 years ago. While he was able to participate by kicking the ball and tackling a punching bag, Tiriel, who wore a retro Boston College sweatshirt, tires easily and needed his shiny red wheelchair.
When asked what his favorite part of the event was, Tiriel simply exclaimed, 'Every year!,' echoing the participants and players enthusiasm for the tradition to continue.
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Maria Probert can be reached at