Remarkable Woman: Gina Tronco
(NEWS10) - What do you do when everything you hold dear is called into question? The news that could have broken Gina Tronco instead strengthened her faith and her family, preparing her for the fight of her life against cancer before finding ways to help others once she was in remission. Meet our fourth "Remarkable Women" finalist.
From music teacher to stay-at-home mom, the soundtrack of Gina Tronco's life has been filled with joy. But she has also known pain.
"It came out of nowhere I had no idea, it was shocking actually, and devastating at the same time," she recalled.
Gina thought she had it all; a happy marriage, healthy children, and a beautiful home. During a family vacation she discovered an ugly secret under the perfect façade, her husband was having an affair.
As she faced heartbreaking questions about whether their long relationship could survive, Gina found a lump. At 42 she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. But she found the strength to face her fears in her faith.
Lydia spoke with Gina, "Why is this happening to me, is a question everyone asks themselves I think at some point in their life."
"I asked it a thousand times," laughed Gina.
"Did you get the answer you were looking for when you asked that question," asked Lydia.
"Yes, I'm very religious," responded Gina, "and I knew God was working in us and in our marriage to make us better and to bring us stronger out the other end."
The question she asked a thousand times, now the title of her book.
"There are lots of women who've faced the painful question of what's going on with their marriage and lots of women who've also faced the fear of cancer," Lydia wondered, "but not everyone has been so free and open to write a book about it Why did you want to share that painful journey with everyone else?"
Gina immediately responded, "Everybody says it, but If I could help one person, right? You know forgiveness isn't for everyone, but when you're faced with cancer and that diagnosis, you open up a little bit more."
By telling all of her story Gina wanted to give hope to others facing similar tests of health or marriage ... that they too could not only survive but thrive.
And then she started giving back, raising funds for cancer research and patient support in a fashion show where she brought everyone to their feet with this show-stopping moment, pulling her wig off in the middle of the runway and the crowd jumped to their feet cheering her on, "That was so freeing, I had worn that wig for a long time and it was time."
She went from one event to an entire campaign: Gina signed up to fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in their 2023 Visionary Campaign. Ten weeks later, she and her team had raised the most in the Capital Region and that $915,700 total led her to be named the LLS National 2023 Visionary of the Year over hundreds of other candidates.
"It was great because my girls saw that I could accomplish something huge," recalled Gina.
Wife, mother, cancer survivor, author, and philanthropist; Gina Tronco took the second chance life had given her to say this is not how my story ends. She then put down her pen and reached out her hand with a roadmap for anyone in need.
"It makes you think what life is really about. And it makes you forgive."