Shelton Gym Helps Professor Raise Money For Student With Cancer

SHELTON, CT — Charlie Capalbo may be sidelined at the moment, but family, friends and even strangers from around the region are stepping up to send him a message of support.

Many in the town of Fairfield know Capalbo, now 22, as the former Fairfield Ludlowe High School hockey star who has twice battled cancer during these past four years. The cancer had been in remission, and Capalbo was attending Fairfield University, but a new recurrence of leukemia sent him back to Boston Children’s Hospital for a third time these past few months.

Jill Bodach, a Shelton resident and Capalbo's new creative writing teacher at Fairfield U., barely had time to get to know Capalbo, but she is not about to forget him.

Bodach has organized a fundraiser around the theme of 100 Miles in May for Charlie, and dozens of people who don’t even know him personally are doing their part to help.

“A lot of people do it for different charities,” Bodach said.

Laurean Vasquez-Limauro, owner of Leading Level Fitness in Shelton, initially organized the challenge for a general charitable project among her clients. People walk or run or even bike — largely on the honor system — and garner donations in the process to help a cause.

“She was going to do it just for the members, just as a challenge among us,” Bodach said of her fitness instructor. “(But) I wanted to figure out a way to do something for Charlie.”

Vasquez-Limauro has helped Bodach raise more than $10,000 for the Capalbo family.

“Charlie’s story has touched the hearts of many,” Vasquez-Limauro said.

Bodach originally set a goal of $1,500, not sure whether it was too much to try and raise.

“I’m incredibly proud of the Leading Level Fitness community,” Vasquez-Limauro said. “I am blessed to be a part of a very loving, caring and supportive community.”

Over the past month, Bodach has increased the goal several times, with $10,500 already in hand.

“Charlie’s chemo has done some serious damage to his body,” his mother, Jenny Capalbo, said. “And, he unfortunately is not yet in remission.”

Still, she said, his path to recovery continues to be led by people like Bodach and those involved with this challenge.

“Charlie feels truly loved and supported by Professor Bodach,” she said, as well as those participating in and around Shelton. “With people like Jill behind him, he can’t lose.”

With Charlie in the hospital, the family has been challenged not only with medical expenses, but living expenses as well.

“I know that it’s been hard for his family,” Bodach said.

Early money went to Uber Eats gift cards, but now Bodach said they’re just helping with spending money for the family to meet needs.

“Someone so young shouldn’t be bed-ridden and fighting cancer,” said Bodach’s husband, Jonathan Smith, who is biking 500 miles this month to help raise awareness for Charlie’s cause.

Bodach has solely been using social media — including a Facebook page titled Fuel for the Fight — to get the word out.

“At the gym we’re keeping a tally of our own miles,” she said.

More than 30 participants are each averaging over 50 miles thus far.

“No one else at the gym has ever met him before, but they’ve just started to care about him and follow his journey,” she said.

“We come together, and we rise,” Vasquez-Limauro said. “We join forces, we get the word out and we do what we can.”