08/25/2025
Remembering my ‘why’ in creating Children Have Dreams Too…❤️👶🏻👧🏼🧒🏻👦❤️
40 years ago in the summer of 1985 on 8/24 , it was just another beach bum day for me and Nikica at our beach by “Lastavica”. Not a cloud in the sky, I wasn’t feeling myself so I went home for a minute and came back. Later that night, I watched some movies and I waited for my Dad to come home from Trieste. As usual, he brought me some oranges, M&M’s and a Kinder egg. Early the next morning, just shy of 1am, my Mother heard some noise and she thought my 5 month baby sister was awake. To her surprise, I was making noises as I was gasping for air and having a seizure. I remember seeing people looking at me while I was laying down in my bed. The light is on and my Grandma, Mother, our neighbors Gerri, Christina and Zdravko are trying to help me by pulling my tongue out. Then I remember our other neighbor Mate carrying me to an ambulance. I opened my eyes again by Bakar and noticed a few tall evergreens there. The next time I opened my eyes, it was what seemed to be early morning. I was in a stretcher in Kantrida hospital hallway in Rijeka with my parents standing by me. I was told it was an epileptic attack and I had epilepsy, and needed medication for it. I would eventually find out a few years later that this was a misdiagnosis. But in the meantime, I felt labeled for life. What a misery - I can’t run, swim, ride a bike, play sports. My childhood was over as I knew it. But there was a bright side - I believed I was healthy. My Dad was convinced it was a sunstroke and it was my only hope! While at the hospital, my parents visited me every day. They would bring me comic books, fruit etc. I noticed that while I was there for two weeks, I was the only one being visited. A kid from Cres had one visit by his Mom as well. I noticed my Dad started to bring the other kids treats and goods too. They were so happy by this gesture. At that moment, everything changed. I promised myself that one day I will give back and help these kids in need! In 2016, Children Have Dreams Too was born and the first project was a donation of a mobile respirator to Kantrida hospital!
