The Jersey Journal
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
By Lauren DeFilippo
Copyright 2004 NJ.com. All Rights Reserved.Journal staff writer

UNION CITY - Paul "Blackie" Rubbinaccio stands in the hallway at Emerson High School. A bell rings, and a flood of students and teachers fills the hallway. Soon he is surrounded. There are hugs, kisses and handshakes.

Rubbinaccio, 68, of Union City, retired in October as head of security at the school, but he didn't want to. The retirement was forced on him due to his declining health. Two years ago he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's Disease.

But Rubbinaccio still visits the school several times a week and is obviously well loved there - so much so that these same students and teachers will be taking strides to show it during a walk-a-thon they are sponsoring on his behalf.

Researchers still haven't found a cure for ALS, a fatal disease characterized by its "creeping paralysis." The disease attacks nerve cells in the brain and spine, insidiously robbing its victims of the ability to speak, walk, swallow and, eventually, breathe.

But when first meeting Rubbinaccio now, it's hard to believe that the man who is quick with a smile is even ill. The talking computer he uses to communicate is the only clue to his disease.

Yet even through the machine, Rubbinaccio still maintains his sense of humor and maintains a casual yet highly respectful rapport with the school's community.

So it's not all that surprising that this winter when Rubbinaccio's brother, Michael, approached the school about participating in an ALS walk-a-thon in Seaside Heights, the response was so great that the school opted to host its own fund-raiser instead.

The Union City ALS walk-a-thon - dubbed "Walk a Mile for Blackie, Because He Always Walked the Extra Mile for Us" - will take place April 24 at 9 a.m., followed at 11 a.m. by a block party at Emerson.

"It just really blew up from the beginning of February to where we're at now," says biology teacher Robert Rolling. "The student body really jumped on board with this one, and they're running it."

Emerson High senior Nicole Cruz offered an explanation for the reaction.

"To me personally, Blackie is like the spirit of the school," she said. "Without Blackie, school wouldn't be the same. He's an essential part of the school. He's the spirit."

Student Council President Krystal Escobales said there was no one who didn't want to help.

"The whole school is basically doing it," she described. "Each club is doing a different part, working together."

While the amount of work has been great, almost everyone involved is looking forward to the event and the students say it will be exciting and emotional to see all their efforts come together.

Senior Randy Vasquez says the event should be a lot of fun, too. "Just seeing him happy is fun."

The students' goal is to raise $10,000. To accomplish that, they've already recruited approximately 1,500 walkers and are soliciting donations from local businesses.

"I think the easiest part was getting people together because Blackie is so popular," Cruz said.

Rolling agreed.

"It has totally shocked me how big this has gotten, and I think it's for two reasons," he said. "Once we mentioned Blackie's name, everybody wanted to be on board and everybody had a contribution or something that they wanted to do.

"Then the student council and certain segments of the student population really picked up the ball and started doing fund-raising and different things that turned it into the event that it is."

The students, with the help of English teacher Richard Ardito, also are putting together a patronage book to thank the donors and walkers.

Inside the book are quotes and anecdotes about people's favorite memories of Blackie provided by students past and present as well as faculty and staff.

"A punch from Blackie is like a hug from anybody else," one teacher wrote.

Many of the students said they have fond memories of Blackie being the first person they saw when they walked into the school in the morning - even reminiscing about the way he would scold them if they walked in late.

"There's no point to wander the halls anymore because there's nobody to talk to," senior Johanna Rodriquez said.

Rubbinaccio's said his fondest memories are of the students he's watched pass though the halls of Emerson over the past 15 years. He's enjoyed seeing them grow up and coming back to visit after they graduate, he said.

After his diagnosis two years ago, Rubbinaccio wanted to continue working as much as possible, but the disease has made that impossible.

Blackie, who calls the walk-a-thon "a big thank you," cautions walkers that he could be emotional at the event.

"I'm going to cry like a baby," he said. "I cry for anything."