Page 21 - Indulge August 2017
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The Heart of a Borough
Wilson Mayor Finds Love and Life at Easton Hospital
Mayor David Perruso He wrote her every day as he promised.
and his wife, Leilani. “For the first 10 days I was gone,
Leilani came home from training to
ask if a letter arrived. Nine times she
was told no. Each day she grew sadder,
but on day 10, she was told yes … 10
letters arrived.”
Upon his return, he dug into life: a
fall wedding, two children, a 42-year
career at Easton Suburban Water, 24
years on Wilson Borough Council, four
terms as mayor, three grandchildren
and one great grandchild.
To say Easton Hospital has been at Photo courtesy of Easton Hospital Healed Heart
the center of David Perruso’s life is It wasn’t until 2010 when he had
a bit of an understatement. As mayor of “I idolized her as she took care
Wilson Borough, the hospital has been of me,” he says. “She worked at the to be admitted to the hospital for
a strong community partner and local hospital for 50 years as a nurse and a real concern. He had been up all
employer. But on a more personal side, nurse leader. I sort of grew up there night, pacing back and forth, trying
the hospital has given him a role model, with her.” to walk off the pain he felt in his
a wife and a new lease on life. chest. When it didn’t go away, Leilani
Growing up in West Easton, David Finding Love took him to the Easton Hospital
shared an 18-room home with his While David noticed his future wife Emergency Room.
extended family, his father and his
uncle each with a half-double. Leilani during football games when Dr. Rajeev Rohatgi and the
“We were close-knit — my three his high school team played Bangor, it cardiac team found four blockages.
brothers, sister and cousins,” he says. wasn’t until she was enrolled at Easton David had open-heart surgery and
“So much so when my uncle moved Hospital for radiology training that the spent many days in intensive care.
two met.
three blocks to his own house, it was “Leilani and Kay never left my
like he moved to California.” “She was in school at the hospital side,” he says. “I got the best care
when we had our first date,” he says. there, just fabulous.”
David’s cousin, Kay Sabatino, was In fact, he ditched another date to
20-years his senior and became a make it happen. Since his heart attack, David
mother figure for him. has been committed to attending
David was in the basic training at cardiac rehabilitation where he
the time, and the two were engaged works out with other cardiac
before he was stationed in Germany. patients while under the monitoring
of exercise physiologists.
“For seven years, I have gone
there three days a week and made
many friends,” he says. “The staff is
so encouraging.”
David and Leilani have recently
downsized into a new place that
gives them a great view of the
hospital that has played such a
pivotal role in their lives.
“If I used to have white coat
syndrome, it is long since gone after
all Easton Hospital has given me.”
August 2017 • indulge | 21
