05/14/2015
Lowell Sun
By Rick Sobey
LOWELL -- For anyone who believes they cannot achieve their dreams, they should seriously consider talking to Garrett Burgess and Nick Lanteri, who may be the two hardest workers on the planet.
The former is blind and wheelchair-bound, while the latter survived a roadside bomb and ambush in Iraq.
Despite their significant challenges over the years, both have soared sky high as River Hawks at UMass Lowell, and will be receiving bachelor degrees this Saturday at the Tsongas Center.
"I lost my sight, but I'm still happy with my life and I'm not giving up," said Burgess, 22, of Chelmsford.
"It took a lot of hard work, elbow grease, very helpful professors and disability services all made the experience smooth for me. It wasn't easy by any means, but they made it possible."
"I just told myself to never give up," said Lanteri, 28, of Lowell. "A lot of the time I thought maybe I couldn't do this, but then I said, 'What are you talking about? I'm a Marine. I can do anything. I've come this far, and I can see this through.' "
Garrett Burgess
As a 4-year-old, Burgess suffered a spinal cord injury from a head-on car accident; he was left paralyzed. Then in 2008, he underwent surgeries to ease his spinal cord injury -- which resulted in his blindness.
However, losing sight has never stopped Burgess, who is graduating with a chemistry degree and a minor in math.
Assistive technology, support from the university's Office of Disability Services and lab technicians who mix chemicals for the experiments he designs and analyzes have played a crucial role in his success.
"I've been able to survive all my years of education, and now I can put it to use," said Burgess, who graduated from Chelmsford High in 2010. "Everything done up to now was worth it."
His love for chemistry began in his junior year of high school, his first year without eyesight.
Chemistry teacher Derrick Genova at Chelmsford High told Burgess that he would figure out how to accommodate him, and help him conceptualize the science. Genova placed a priority on typing notes out for Burgess, along with providing effective computer teaching programs.
"I had no idea what blind life would be like," he recalled. "But that year started it all with chemistry and made me love it. Chemistry is everywhere.
"It seems like magic to me," Burgess added. "I can understand how everything works. I can just visualize it. My mind thinks in that mode."
He admits that he was terrified as a freshman, wondering if he belonged on a college campus.
But those worries started to fade after he excelled in his freshman calculus course; Professor Ronald Brent told Burgess' other professors that he could learn the material.
"It was that step in the door he needed," said his mother, Laureen Burgess, 53. "It showed them that he's smart and could do the work."
UMass Lowell was exceptionally accommodating throughout the four years, they stressed. Graduate students helped him in labs, tutors taught him outside of class, professors put the lectures online so Burgess could review the information at home with his parents, among many more accommodations.
Outside the classroom, Burgess is a volunteer for the Travis Roy Foundation, which works to enhance the life of people with spinal cord injuries.
Burgess looks up to Travis Roy, who was paralyzed just seconds into his first-ever shift for the Boston University hockey team.
"Travis told us that Garrett is his inspiration," and that blew the family "away because Travis is his inspiration," said Burgess' mother.
After Saturday, he will pursue work as a chemist. He plans on tapping into the university's career center resources.
"Something new is always scary because it's unknown, but UMass Lowell is so helpful and it will work out," the optimistic chemist said.
Nick Lanteri
Seven years ago this month, Lanteri was with his squad heading to the military base in Fallujah, Iraq, when "all hell broke loose" because of an explosion. Luckily, the Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient survived the ambush.
However, the attack left him with a traumatic brain injury, shrapnel wounds and post-traumatic stress disorder. When he returned home in 2010, the Dracut High School graduate tapped his veterans' benefits to attend UMass Lowell.
But immediately, the first semester was extremely challenging due to his injuries.
"Taking classes in large crowds made it hard to focus, hard to concentrate," said Lanteri, who has received 10 medals and commendations for his military service. "I couldn't get work done and get papers in on time. I didn't think I'd be able to make it."
After that miserable first semester, his case manager recommended that he get a service dog, which has made all the difference.
Fenway, a yellow lab that has attended Lanteri's classes with him, eases the veteran's anxiety in crowds by tapping him when people approach from behind. Matched by an organization that provides service dogs to veterans, Fenway became not only Lanteri's companion but his best friend.
"I couldn't imagine life without him," said Lanteri, who will be walking with Fenway across the stage on Saturday.
Fenway will be dressed in a cap and gown because he should also be getting a degree, according to Lanteri.
"He's like my personal counselor," he said. "You tell your best friend everything, and there's no difference here."
Lanteri also found a supportive community among the more than 1,500 student-veterans at UMass Lowell -- the largest number at any public institution in Massachusetts -- who are assisted by the university's Office of Veterans' Services.
Janine Wert, director of Veterans Services at UMass Lowell, called Lanteri a "pretty special guy."
"He's constantly looking out for everyone who's around him," she said. "We are especially proud of him because he has overcome so many obstacles to be successful academically.
"Nick's an inspiration to all of us because watching what he does, how can you give up?" Wert added. "He's determined to be successful, and very inspiring to other veterans. He's represented us extremely well, so we will miss him greatly."
Lanteri is receiving a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. He plans to continue his education at William James College in Newton in the "Train Vets to Treat Vets" program.
"Originally I thought I'd be a cop, but after having all these experiences with Veterans' Services, I thought I could help people like me," Lanteri said. "Having someone there to talk to is really nice."