Cesare Silvestro

Age: 10
Grade: 5
Market: New Paltz, New York

Cesare Silvestro is a tough and optimistic boy with an infectious smile who has intractable seizures. He first started showing signs of epilepsy when he was in kindergarten, and has tried myriad treatment options to no avail. Yet, despite the unrelenting seizures, which cause some memory difficulties and effect his ability to process information, Cesare is a bright boy who is doing well in school and plays a role in fighting epilepsy (he was one of his area’s “Winning Kids of 2006”). He also has a twin brother, Griffin, who brings the world to him, because he cannot participate in many activities himself.

His parents have found strength through their son, and learned to live life one day at a time.

Cesare, however, admits that, “Sometimes I feel scared. I’m okay with having epilepsy, but I’d like the seizures to stop. I don’t know what it would feel like to not have epilepsy.”