Vinny Carrano Dances for Sister Lauren

1995’s THON weekend was the first of many for Vinny Carrano, but it was also his sister’s last.

Carrano’s sister Lauren, 9, lost her two-year battle with cancer in 1996.

He has returned to THON weekend nearly every year since in her memory.

“THON was our family’s favorite place,” Carrano said. “It was somewhere we could go and forget about everything else in the world.”

From left to right: Lauren Carrano, Vinny, Ashley Carrano, their dad and two SAAB members at THON weekend 1995.
Photo submitted by Vinny Carrano.

Lauren’s Battle with Cancer: 

In 1994, when Lauren was only 7, doctors at Hershey Medical Center diagnosed her with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

As Lauren began chemotherapy treatments, Carrano, only 5, realized how ill Lauren was.

“I just knew it was a terrible thing that made her very sick,” Carrano said. “It was confusing. It wasn’t long before I knew about cancer and treatments.”

Soon after Lauren began chemotherapy, the Carranos learned about THON and attended THON weekend together in 1995.

“She spent a lot of time in hospital, so THON was a time for her to forget that she was sick,” Carrano said. “She could go there, and be a kid, and dance and be goofy. She was an awesome little girl. She made friends with everybody.”

With THON came newfound hope for Lauren. She went into remission in 1995.

“She was in remission for a little,” Carrano said. “She ended her chemotherapy and everything, but shortly after she relapsed.”

One week after THON weekend in 1996, which Lauren was too sick to attend, Carrano and his big sister Ashley went home after a day of school. They were met by their mom, which was a shock to both of them.

“My mom lived in the hospital 24/7,” Carrano said. “My dad told us that morning that we were going to see them in the hospital after school, so I didn’t know why my mom was home.”

Corrano's mom stood in a room with all of her bags from the hospital, so he asked why she was there.

“My mom said Lauren’s not here anymore. She’s in heaven.” Carrano said.

Carrano ran to his room and cried.

“I asked myself why her so many times,” Carrano said. “She was too young. We were all so young.”

From left to right: Irene Carrano, Robyn Passante, Betsy Lanyard and Lauren Carrano at 1995's THON.
Photo submitted by Robyn Passante.

Vinny Carrano’s Road to Dancing:

Carrano went to THON weekend for 10 straight years after Lauren passed away, but in 2006 he joined the Marines.

“When I went into the Marines, I didn’t know if I’d ever go to college,” Carrano said. “I knew if I did go to school, I’d go to Penn State.”

Carrano served his time with the Marines, and came back to Penn State with a goal in mind.

“I didn’t have to think about it,” Carrano said. “I was going to Penn State to do everything I could to become a dancer.”

Carrano told his sister’s story during the Schuylkill's first THON meeting.

“I made a video of my sister, too,” Carrano said. “I told them what THON is and why it’s such an awesome thing.”

In Carrano’s first year at Schuylkill, the campus’ fundraising totals increased from over $5,000 last year to $30,000 this year.

“We have a lot of dedicated members that became really close,” Carrano said. “We made things happen together.”

But Carrano wanted more. He wanted to dance for his sister.

He regularly texted Marwa Hassanein, Schuylkill’s 2012 THON chair, to try to find out who would dance for the campus.

“We were walking to a THON meeting one day, and she finally said it,” Carrano said. “She told me I was dancing. It was the best news I’ve ever heard.”

Carrano was short on sleep when it came time to dance.

“I couldn’t sleep the week before THON,” Carrano said. “It was all I could think about. It was all my family could talk about. I checked the THON website three times a day to see how many days, hours, minutes and seconds were left until THON.”

Carrano finally arrived at THON, this time from a perspective he’d not experienced before.

“It was surreal at first,” Carrano said. “I got chills walking through the human tunnel. I’ve stood there many times watching dancers walk, and now I was dancer.”

Carrano particularly enjoyed spending time with Trey Davis, 7, Schuylkill’s THON child.

“When Trey was there he didn’t leave my side,” Carrano said. “I used to run around and ride on people’s shoulders. I rode on LaVar Arrington’s shoulders one year, and now I had Trey there. It was his first THON. It was awesome.”

Carrano also felt especially close to Lauren.

As Family Hour’s last speaker, he told the crowd he’d never felt closer to Lauren.

“I felt like she was with me the entire weekend, standing next to me and watching over me,” Carrano said. “She loved THON more than anything in the world. THON was her place. THON was her home. ”