A Mississauga mom manages to keep a smile on her face while helping her family through everything life has thrown their way.
Time together is precious for the Commissos. Like any other family, they are always on the go, with mom as chauffeur.
“It’s exhausting, I can’t believe how exhausting driving can be,” said Sonia Commisso, half joking but also serious.
She isn’t carting the kids around to hockey or dance classes though, she’s doing it for treatment.
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Her 13-year-old daughter Alessia has Leigh’s disease, a condition that affects her central nervous system and prevents mitochondria in her cells from working at full capacity – affecting the development of her muscles and organs and requiring constant medical supervision.
She needs multiple types of physical therapy, and goes to receive treatment every day of the week.
Alessia said her mother takes her everywhere and agreed it’s “a lot” of work for her.
Alessia’s heart is strong now, but when she was diagnosed as a toddler she wasn’t expected to survive.
“Every day for me is a miracle,” said Sonia.
As is every day she spends with her husband Tony.
Once healthy and strong, he has Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, and uses a wheelchair.
Commisso has to get him to all his medical appointments, while keeping his spirits up.
What has hit him hardest is that he can no longer help his children.
“Sometimes I will see he is sitting and he is crying because I know he wants to contribute more and he just can’t,” she said.
Their son, 22-year-old Cosimo, has a seizure disorder and a learning disability and needs extra support as well.
“That is a lot of work for her,” he said.
Sonia’s dream is for the family to purchase an elevator, to replace an unsafe lift, and give them access to their basement.
But that takes money and there’s not even enough to pay for equipment and therapy.
On their GoFundMe page, Sonia said home renovations to make their bungalow more accessible would cost an additional $150,000. The online fundraising campaign has already raised close to $30,000.
But Sonia said what inspires her to get through each day is her children.
“I’m like, I cant do this, I can’t do this anymore, then I look at Alessia and I’m like I can’t give up,” she said.
“I can’t give up because if I give up I don’t know what happens to my family.”
She also gets strength from her faith, and daughter Jesse, who had the same disease as Alessia and tragically passed away.
“Jesse is my little angel in heaven,” said Commisso. “She passed on at the age of two years and five months.”
That’s why Sonia tries to find the good in every situation with her family.
“Because there is so much joy and so many things we can be thankful for, we’ve just got to be open to it,” she said, adding that they are just an ordinary family with extraordinary needs.
Although she would downplay it, it is an extraordinary mom who’s keeping them going.
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