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Nick knew the moment he saw Gloria for the first time that he had found the other half of his heart. He saw them building a life together; raising a family. Then life happened.
They loved children and dreamed of having a family of their own. But it was not in God’s plan for them to have their own biological children. Gloria and Nick suffered two heartbreaking miscarriages; one on Christmas Eve. Married for 32 years, one December morning, two hours after kissing Gloria goodbye, as was their custom before going to the office, Nick received a call that would change his life — Gloria had been in a devastating car accident that took her life.
Nick and Gloria were inseparable; their faith was central to their lives, and both were active in their community and church. In 1991 Nick became a Knight of Columbus and today is a Fourth Degree Knight, Council 9888 Knights of Columbus. A passion for giving back to their community and to those less fortunate was at the core of their lives. Especially if children or the elderly were involved. Gloria would quietly help her fellow parishioners, or anyone in need. To Gloria, no-one needed to know, just God and the person needing the help. And, of course, Nick.
When Gloria passed, Nick entered the darkest season of his life. The spark of light and joy was extinguished from his life. But, just because she was physically gone did not mean she would ever be forgotten. To remember a loved one that has passed is to keep their memory alive; and this was something Nick wanted to do; he just needed to think of what would be the best way to honor her memory and their love.
The “what” came to him one sleepless night, sitting alone in the home they shared, flipping through a magazine. It was an article on the epidemic of infant abandonment taking place worldwide. After some research, he discovered there was no program in place in Florida, or anywhere else, that these young, scared girls with an unplanned pregnancy could turn to for help. And, in a state of panic and believing they had no other recourse, would abandon their newborn in unsafe places; more often than not culminating in the infant’s demise. The helpless newborns were being left to die, and the young mother sentenced to a life of guilt and, if found, prosecuted by the law. It was then that he found his new purpose in life; his guiding light.
Nick founded The Gloria M. Silverio Foundation, and its sole program is A Safe Haven for Newborns. Its mission is to save lives. The Foundation, now in its 26th year, has helped over 6,000 women and saved over 436 precious lives. Unfortunately, in a cemetery in South Florida, there are five graves of infants that were either stillborn or had serious medical issues and did not survive. These infants were given a proper Christian burial. “All babies must have a name and a final resting place,” said Silverio.
The love they shared continues to grow and blossom in the 436 infants that have been saved to date. Nick and Gloria had the family they dreamed about; just a little bigger and more encompassing than what they expected. Their love continues to shine and grow through the Safe Haven for Newborns program.
Nick’s seasons are now filled with the love and memories of his beloved Gloria, he has generously shared with so many of us. Happy Valentine’s Day.
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