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CNS Senior Finds Inspiration from Older Sister with Down Syndrome CNS Senior Finds Inspiration from Older Sister

By Lauren Helmbrecht

Tori Iannotti: Gabby’s in the bathroom, she’s taking too long, I want to use the bathroom.

Cheri Iannotti: Gabby, just, you can tell her to go how fast you want to tell her to go. But she’s still going to go the pace she wants to go at.

Lauren Helmbrecht: THROUGHOUT TORI’S LIFE, SHE’S LEARNED THAT HER SISTER APPROACHES THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. GABBY HAS DOWN SYNDROME AND HAS TAUGHT TORI THE VALUE OF PATIENCE.

Tori: It makes me a better player, a better leader because I’m able to calm others down around me as well. So when we are all panicked and other people are getting frustrated, if I’m able to take my deep breath and focus on what I need to do, I can help others focus on what they need to do as well.

Helmbrecht: TORI AND GABBY HAVE GROWN UP PLAYING SPORTS. TORI, FOR C-N-S HIGH SCHOOL AND CLUB TEAMS, AND GABBY FOR THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS. OVER TIME, TORI REALIZED HER SISTER WASN’T GIVEN THE SAME ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITIES AS SHE WAS, BECAUSE OF GABBY’S DISABILITY. WHICH ONLY PUSHED TORI TO COMPETE EVEN HARDER.

Helmbrecht: Tori says every time she goes out to play, she feels Gabby with her. She even writes Gabby’s name on her cleat.

Helmbrecht: How good is Tori at sports?
Gabby Iannotti: Oh…she’s really competitive.

Helmbrecht: TORI IS A TWO-SPORT VARSITY ATHLETE AT C-N-S AND IS GOING TO PLAY DIVISION ONE LACROSSE AT WINTHROP UNIVERSITY IN THE FALL.
BUT UNTIL SHE LEAVES FOR COLLEGE, SHE’LL CONTINUE LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION FROM GABBY IN THE STANDS.

Tori: When I’m having a bad game, I do like it when she’s there cuz I can look up. It does help me. I do get frustrated, so I look up there and it’s a reminder every single time I look up there that I gotta do better.”

Cheri: I think it gives Tori a sense of peace, like life is good, it’s all good.

Helmbrecht: AND ALONG WITH THEIR SPECIAL BOND, THE IANNOTTI SISTERS SHARE A SIMPLE HAND GESTURE DURING GAMES.

Tori: She likes this sign.

Gabby: And what does that sign mean? Uh, it means I love you.

CICERO, N.Y. (NCC News) – The Iannotti sisters have always been competitive with one another. Tori and her older sister Gabby like to play bocce ball during the summer and Go Fish when it’s cold outside. Growing up, Tori could tell that her sister did things a little differently,  but didn’t realize the impact of her sister’s Down Syndrome diagnosis on Gabby’s ability to play sports until she was in high school.

“I think it happened over time. When I was younger, I just wanted to beat my siblings and win. So I didn’t really know until I got older,” Tori said.

Tori is a two-sport varsity athlete at CNS High School in Cicero. She joined the varsity soccer team as an 8th grader and varsity lacrosse as a freshman. Tori is committed to playing Division 1 lacrosse at Winthrop University in the fall.

Throughout her athletic career, Tori has looked to Gabby for inspiration. Gabby competes with the Special Olympics and had an opportunity to participate in track and field her senior year of high school. But besides those avenues, Tori didn’t really see a chance for Gabby to play sports competitively. So Tori decided to play each and every game for Gabby and other kids with special needs.

“These kids are just as hard-working as everybody else and they are not getting the same opportunity as I am to do what they want to do. And it’s a lot harder for them to do what they want to do. It’s motivation. I have this opportunity and she’s not getting the same one. And I need to take that opportunity,” Tori said.

Tori playing lacrosse.
Tori Iannotti will continue her lacrosse career at Winthrop University in the fall.
© 2021 Lauren Helmbrecht

Besides being her inspiration, Gabby has taught Tori the important lesson of patience on and off the field. Cheri Iannotti, the girls’ mother, said that Gabby lives life at her own pace, which can be hard for Tori. Especially because the girls share a bathroom.

“Gabby, you can tell her to go as fast as you want her to go, but she’s still going to go at the pace she goes at. And it’s frustrating, because Tori’s like ‘I have got to get to school’,” Cheri said.

Tori braiding Gabby's hair in the bathroom.
Patience is key for the Iannotti sisters, especially because they share a bathroom.
© 2021 Lauren Helmbrecht

Patience has made Tori a better athlete because she’s able to calm down her teammates and take a deep breath during stressful moments in the game. When Tori needs an extra boost of support, she looks up to the stands to see her sister making a special hand sign with her pointer finger, thumb, and pinkie sticking out.

“It means I love you,” Gabby said.

To volunteer for the Central New York Special Olympics like Tori does with Gabby,  fill out this form or call (315) 314-6839.

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