FLORIDA MOM MAGAZINE - November '08 - Never Quit - Karina Petroni's StoryBy: Michele Gillis Photos: Josh Hansbrough
 As Karina Petroni, 20, entered the warmth of her mother’s oceanfront kitchen, she plopped down her 5-foot 10-inch frame at the counter and eagerly scarfed down the lunch her mother had prepared for her. “She’s always starving,” laughed Reidunn Petroni of her daughter who is the top-ranked professional surfer in the United States.
Family means everything to Karina. So much so, that almost gave up her promising career as a professional surfer after her father, Gerry Petroni, suffered a stroke.
“I had contemplated not going any further just because I was overwhelmed and depressed,” said Karina. “I said ‘I’ll just quit.’ Thank goodness I didn’t. When my dad came home, I saw some severe improvement. But, I was doing all the cooking and cleaning and thought how can I leave? How’s it all going to work out? But, in July, there was a big surfing event in California. I went into it with no expectations at all because I didn’t set expectations after this. I know everything sorts itself out. Whatever life throws at you, you have to dodge and swerve and get through it.”
A message from her father also encouraged her to continue on and excel in her profession. After the stroke, Gerry couldn’t talk. When asked if there was one thing he would say to the family if he could, he scrawled, “Never Quit.”
Karina said, her father’s message of “Never Quit” mean exactly that to her.
“I admire him truly as a person even if I wasn’t related to him,” said Karina. “I think he is just remarkable inside and out and I wish I had his brain on my head. He’s so full of knowledge. His message just encouraged me to press on. Life is full of ups and downs. But, the big downs make the highs so much sweeter.”
Tragedies such as this tend to draw families closer together and the Petroni’s story is no exception.
“Our family along with many other families in the whole world is tight knit,” said Karina. “We have our differences, but at the end of the day, we love each other a lot and will do anything for each other. Whatever it takes.
I think with Pops (as she calls Gerry), it brought us so close, so tight, so quick because there was no other way to go. There was no other option besides coming together and helping each other out.”
The family was not surprised at Gerry’s message. It was just the thing he would say. He grew up in a Catholic orphanage in Boston, Mass. When he got out, he went right into the Army. “He never had family support behind him and just had to lean on his own to work and get him where he was,” said Reidunn. “It was always that he would never give up. If something was right, he just wouldn’t give up. He would always say anything worth doing is worth doing well. Don’t give up.”
When Gerry had his stroke, Karina was ranked the number on American in the world. “I still am now, but there is a qualifying tour, just like the NBA or PGA Tour, to qualify for the World Championship Tour. So, that year, I was still on the qualifying series trying to qualify.”
Karina was 18 when her father had his stroke and said it was a massive reality check. “I really tapped right into it,” said Karina. “After it was all said and done, nothing fazes me.”
Her determination paid off and she is now the first American woman from the East Coast to make the 2008 World Championship Tour in 10 years.
“I’m the only American on the Tour,” said Karina. The tour starts off in Australia then goes to France, Brazil, Peru, Hawaii, Portugal and more.
While Karina was growing up Gerry worked as a sea captain piloting ships through the Panama Canal. They moved to Atlantic Beach in 2000 after the Panama Canal was turned over to the Panamanian government.
Karina’s brother Erik taught her to surf and could see early on the potential she had. She has been surfing since she was two and competing since she was 10.
Karina said her mother was a big supporter for her to continue surfing. “If it wasn’t for mom, we wouldn’t be here,” said Karina.
Reidunn is very happy about Karina’s success in the surfing world. “She is wonderful,” said Reidunn. “She has a good attitude about it. She is most natural wonderful person you could ever meet. I admire her and I’m proud of her.”
It was Reidunn’s quiet strength and support that helped pull the family through this heartbreaking ordeal. “I am the glue that keeps everyone together, said Reidunn. “Without our faith in the Bible and Jesus, we could never have made it because it has been very difficult. My husband was extremely healthy. He never abused his body at all. The day before Thanksgiving in 2006, he just came into the kitchen and collapsed.”
When they got to St. Luke’s Hospital, they were told that the stroke was fatal and that Gerry wouldn’t make it.“It’s amazing how suffering draws a family together,” said Reidunn. “It really does. It not only draws the family together, but it draws you closer to God because you need that strength.”
Reidunn said her children were a wonderful help while her husband was in the hospital. Karina’s siblings are Erik, 38; Paul, 33 and Sonya, 31.
“I would go to the hospital every day and when I would get home, Karina had the house spotless and dinner ready,” said Reidunn. “Erik has gone out of his way to help Gerry. He takes him on the beach, trains him and walks him. Paul is a carpenter, so he built all of the ramps for the house. Sonya is married with two children, but she has still been here a lot helping.”
Last month Gerry and his wife headed to Texas for him to be treated at the Center for Neuro Skills. “They teach them for six hours a day,” said Reidunn. “I told Jerry he has to promise me by Christmas, he’ll be well.”
Jerry can talk, but can’t carry on a conversation, yet. But, Reidunn found an interesting way to help with her husband’s condition.
“Since my husband had the brain hemorrhage, my son Erik, is always trying to find new ways to help with my husband because of the brain damage,” said Reidunn Petroni. “Erik was on a Web site reading about hypnosis and stroke. We know so much about hypnosis. People don’t know anything about hypnosis. It said that Yale and Harvard and all the big hospitals had used hypnosis on stroke patients because it’s all in your subconscious mind. What you used to do is still there.”
She and her husband went to Australia where Karina was training. While there, Reidunn met a doctor of hypnotherapy and he worked with her husband. “The change was unbelievable,” said Reidunn. “I was fascinated, so I went to school every day for three months and became a master hypnotherapist. Not only that, but I’m a teacher of hypnosis.”
Reidunn charges $150 for an hour and a half session with her. She said her hypnosis can help people with bad habits, anxiety, depression, losing weight, quitting smoking, improving public speaking and more.
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