Paone pleased to be a Pete

paone bpsportsniagara 041019

By Bill Potrecz

- April 10, 2019

Being drafted was the icing on the cake for Nicholas Paone this season.

The 16-year-old defenceman concentrated on his game for the Southern Tier Admirals and was prepared to let the chips fall where they may as far as anything else went.

“I didn’t really think about it too much throughout the year,” said Paone, a Grade 10 student at Saint Michael in Niagara Falls. “I just thought about playing my game and sticking to getting the wins for our team.

“Getting drafted was just the bonus on the year.”

Paone ended up having a solid season for the Admirals, finishing third in team scoring with six goals and 20 points.

“I thought I had a good year offensively and defensively and our team had a good year,” he said. “I think I improved on my skating and shot. Skating was a huge thing I worked on this year. You can always improve on your skating.”

Paone’s hard work and production did not go unnoticed as he was selected in the 12th round (233rd overall) by the Peterborough Petes in Saturday’s Ontario Priority Selection.

Saint Michael High School teacher a passionate advocate for organ and tissue donation

Kidney transplant recipient from Niagara encourages people to register as donors

Apr 04, 2019 by Alison Langley The Niagara Falls Review

nfreview 040419 Krista Connor didn't plan on becoming an advocate for organ and tissue donation.

A number of years ago, the Niagara teacher began discussing the importance of donation with her students at Saint Michael High School.

At the time, her father, who had polycystic kidney disease, had undergone two kidney transplants.

She decided to share her story with students to show them how the transplants had given her father precious extra time with family and friends, time that wouldn't have been possible if not for the "two life-saving gifts he was given."

The Ridgeway mother of two later discovered she had inherited the same genetic condition from her father.

Connor received dialysis treatment at Niagara Health's dialysis units in Niagara Falls and St. Catharines for about a year and then did dialysis at home.

"It is such a big part of your life," she said of the treatment. "It's such a daunting task."

As she went into renal failure, her name was put on a transplant waiting list.

Her husband and mother underwent tests to determine if they could donate a kidney but were told they're weren't compatible.