FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com NOVEMBER 13, 2014 • The Courier sun 21 Man writes book recalling his near-death Howard Beach crash BY SALVATORE LICATA slicata@queenscourier.com @Sal_Licata1 It was winter 1988, and Joe Parenti was 23, driving home after filling up his gas tank, when he was blindsided by a stolen car going 80 mph at 162nd Avenue and 91st Street. He went into cardiac arrest and nearly died at the scene. When doctors took a closer look, they noticed that Parenti had a “swollen and twisted brain” and major damage to his spinal cord, among other injuries. They told his family he would suffer from brain damage for the rest of his life. “It was the type of experience that I wasn’t sure I would survive from,” Parenti said. The Howard Beach resident has now written a book about the crash in the hope of inspiring others. Its name, “Miracle on 91st Street,” is the perfect setup for what follows between the covers. Those who have heard his story, as well as Parenti, believe that it is a miracle he is still alive. In the book, he takes the reader through his time growing up in Howard Beach, the accident and the ensuing years of recovery, which is where his message lies. Spending seven months in three different hospitals, switching doctors and receiving numerous types of treatment taught Parenti lessons that he still carries — and is now sharing with others. “All that time in the hospital really made me think,” he said. “It taught me to not worry about the little things in life and the power of perseverance.” Throughout the novel, Parenti looks back on all the people who were there to help him through his recovery. He credits the West Hamilton Beach Fire Department for saving his life, saying, “Without the quick response and expert care of The West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department, I would not be alive today.” He is donating a portion of his profits from the book to the fire department to show his gratitude. Even though Parenti, 49, is still dealing with some aftereffects from the accident, he says he has only gotten happier each day since the crash. He is now a self-employed CPA residing in West Hempstead and still lives by two life lessons he learned because of the accident: the power of perseverance and that anything is possible. “The accident changed my outlook in terms of where I’m heading in life,” Parenti said. “I want my story to inspire people to fight for what they want and never give in.” To find out more about the book, visit www. miracleon91st.com or www.facebook.com/pages/ Miracle-on-91st-Street-Surviving-the-Impossible. The book is available through his website or on Amazon. Photo courtesy of Joe Parenti Joe Parenti was blindsided by a stolen car going 80 mph at 162nd Avenue and 91st Street. He has now written a book about the crash in the hope of inspiring others. Ridgewood couple charged in crime spree targeting moms with strollers BY CRIS TABELLE TUMOLA ctumola@queenscourier.com @CristabelleT A Ridgewood couple went on a pickpocketing spree, stealing from women with baby strollers as they shopped, District Attorney Richard Brown said. The married pair, Luis A. Chango, 45, and Rosa Jerez, 37, are accused of working together to distract their victims between August and November of this year. Jerez would often engage the young mothers in conversation, act as a lookout or shield Chango as he removed the victims’ personal property, including cell phones, wallets and as much as $2,000 in cash in one incident, prosecutors said. THE COURIER/Photo by Angy Altamirano During one of the thefts, Chango even allegedly pulled an iPhone out of the hands of a baby that was playing with it, causing the child to burst into tears. They not only went after women at businesses in their own neighborhood, but also hit a Jackson Heights Carter’s children’s store on 82nd Street several times, other western Queens clothing stores and a seafood shop in Brooklyn, Brown said. Chango and Jerez have both been charged with multiple counts of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, endangering the welfare of a child and petit larceny. If convicted, Chango, who acted alone in six of the 14 thefts, faces up to 38 years in prison, according to prosecutors. Jerez faces up to 23 years. Kiwanis Club induction The Lefferts Liberty Kiwanis Club came together to welcome a new member and re-elect their president on Nov. 6 at Bruno’s Restaurant in Howard Beach. Pictured from left: member Rosemary Ciulla-Frisone; JP D Troia, lieutenant governor; new member Rose Mazzei; and Linda Guarneri, president.
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