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Gennaro Balletta was a busy man who juggled a lot of work between working as a special education teacher, coaching three sports at Pinelands High School and running a landscaping company that specialized in ponds, so it wasn’t too surprising that he felt exhausted when he helped plan his wedding last spring.
“I wasn’t feeling well for a couple of months and didn’t think anything of it,” he said. “I thought maybe I was just burned out.”
It turned out to be more than that. Eight days after his wedding to Ashley Miller on June 8, Balletta checked himself into the hospital. Tests revealed he was suffering from terminal Hodgkin’s lymphoma – the cancer had spread throughout his upper body.
Hodgkin’s lymphoma is treatable even in advanced stages, but chemotherapy is intensive and exhausting. Balletta is being treated twice a month for six months; he has just completed the second round.
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“You’re lying on the ground for a day or two,” said the 25-year-old. “But I’m in a good mood.”
That attitude has helped him get through a few difficult years, including losing both parents within two months. All the while, he’s been buoyed by the community’s outpouring of support. A GoFundMe campaign raised $25,000 in its first few hours and has now grown to $54,000. Members of the Pinelands boys basketball team raised money for him last month by scrubbing cars for four hours in 95-degree heat. This Sunday, Aug. 18, Laurita Winery in Plumsted’s New Egypt neighborhood is hosting a food truck festival to benefit the young couple, who live in Little Egg Harbor.
“Anyone who knows Gennaro loves him,” says his father-in-law George Miller, Ashley’s father and operator of the Five Sisters food truck that makes the rounds on the coast. “He’s one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. You wonder: How much more can happen to this boy?”
Despite all this, Balletta is determined to be a role model for his students and athletes.
“I’ve always wanted to give back. I love coaching and helping these kids,” he said. “If they see me persevering, maybe it will help them with whatever they’re going through.”
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Dealing with unexpected surprises
Balletta graduated from Pinelands High School in 2017 and was about to graduate with a college degree in education when life threw a wrench in his plans. When Balletta’s mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2021, he put his studies on hold to care for her – and even donated stem cells so she could undergo a stem cell transplant. She died in 2022, and two months later, his father, who was also battling a long-term illness, also died.
“He handled everything much better than I ever could,” said his wife, Ashley.
In the classroom, “he’s incredible,” said Rene Parker, a Little Egg Harbor resident whose autistic son was in Balletta’s class.
After school, Balletta worked as an assistant coach for Pinelands’ football, basketball and baseball programs. On the advice of his oncologist, he is taking a leave of absence from his teaching job until at least October, but will continue to help out as a volunteer assistant for the freshmen on the football team to stay true to the profession he loves so much.
“He has tremendous determination and tremendous strength, not only from himself but from his wife and her family,” said John Tierney, head coach of the Pinelands football team. “He’s a great person who cares about the kids. And he has the right attitude: He’s going to kick cancer’s butt.”
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“There is always support”
Ashley Miller, who teaches science at Cedar Creek High School and works as a wedding photographer on the side, has seen her husband become exhausted by the extreme fatigue caused by chemotherapy. But never for long. The flood of well-wishes gives them both strength.
“I’m still responding to people,” she said. “I can’t believe how many calls, texts and cards we’ve gotten. I know it’s cheered him up a lot. He has a great group of friends, but there were so many strangers who meant something to him – and that meant a lot to him.”
Laurita Winery, which the Millers know through the food truck, has volunteered to host Sunday’s fundraiser for free. Seven food trucks will be there (Shore Good Eats n Treats, L’Aquaria Seafood, Twelve Truck, Mexi Boys, Elemen7ts by NitroGirl, Maddelana’s and Moonshine Chocolate Co.) and an eighth, Kiersten’s Creations, will set up a lemonade stand. A portion of all the trucks’ proceeds will benefit Gennaro and Ashley. Two local music groups, Strictly 60’s Band and Rangers Nouveau, are also donating live performances.
The event runs from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and admission is $10 per person.
Casey Webb, a Red Banker native and host of the hit Travel Channel show “Man v. Food,” is expected to stop by at some point. The coastal region’s tight-knit culinary community is clamoring for a restaurant of its own.
“We always thought, if somebody needs help, you help them. If I come out and hand out a couple of burgers to somebody who needs help, that’s nothing,” said George Miller, a retired firefighter. “After what happened with Gennaro, I realized how important it is to just get a text from somebody – ‘Hey, if you need anything, we’re here for you, we’re thinking of you, we’re praying for you.’ I never thought much of it when we did something for somebody, but now that I’m over it, I realize how much it means.”
Gennaro added: “The support I have received has been overwhelming in the best sense.”
Because of the timing of the diagnosis and the treatment plan, Gennaro and Ashley were unable to enjoy a proper honeymoon other than a short trip to Maine. If all goes well, they plan to travel to Iceland next summer.
In the meantime, Gennaro will fight on with the help of everyone around him – and use his journey as a learning opportunity for his charges.
“No matter what you’re going through, you have to persevere because there will always be light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “I’ve been through a lot in the last few years and I feel like I haven’t wavered in my spirit. Keep going and you’ll always have support. Whether you realize it or not, there are so many people around you supporting you.”
To donate to the GoFundMe campaign for Gennaro, visit www.GoFundMe.com and search for “Help support Ashley and Gennaro in their fight against lymphoma.”
For more information about Laurita Winery and the fundraiser for Gennaro and Ashley on Sunday, August 18th, visit www.lauritawinery.com.
Jerry Carino is a community columnist for the Asbury Park Press, focusing on interesting people, inspiring stories and pressing issues of the Jersey Shore. Reach him at [email protected].
