Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
Hundreds turned out for a candlelight vigil in Levittown for little Hannah Ginion.
Hannah, who was just weeks away from celebrating her second birthday, passed away Sunday morning after a fight with Krabbe disease or leukodystrophy, a rare degenerative disease of the nervous system for which there is no cure.
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Hannah’s mom and dad, Vicki Pizullo and Justin Ginion, gathered with hundreds of people Sunday evening behind John Fitch Elementary School in Bristol Township. Person by person, candles were lit and tears were shed.
“This is something you can’t go through alone,” Pizullo told reporters.
Justin Ginion said through tears that the turnout was “amazing.”
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In October, Gov. Tom Corbett signed a law named after Hannah. The legislation gained support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The bill was supported by local lawmakers. “Hannah’s Law” expanded prenatal screenings for Krabbe disease, as well as other degenerative diseases. Lawmakers hope early detection will improve care for kids diagnosed with certain rare disorders.
“If there was testing, [Hannah] wouldn’t be in the morgue,” Pizullo tearfully said Sunday evening.
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During the vigil, an impromptu chorus of “Amazing Grace” filled the chilly night air.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
As the local community mourned the loss of Hannah, thousands more online and around the globe shared their condolences.
“In Hannah’s short life, she inspired us with her spirit and determination. Hannah will be remembered for giving other families a reason to hope and a chance for their children’s futures,” Corbett said in a statement.
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“I’ve been following Hannah for a year and a half, she’s been a true inspiration, I’ve seen her come back from two cardiac arrests, and multiple hospital stays. She just wouldn’t give up the fight, no matter the odds,” Mario D. Gillette wrote on the Hope for Hannah Facebook page.
As Pizullo told LevittownNow.com in October, “Hannah will always be a hero; her name will never be forgotten.”
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Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
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