Bowler native Dan Terrio will be among the nine competitors in the eighth annual “Dancing With Our Stars” event Feb. 20 in Green Bay. The event is a fundraiser for the American Red Cross.
Modeled after the ABC-TV show “Dancing With The Stars,” the event pairs local volunteers with professional dancers. Each couple performs two ballroom dances. The Mirrorball Trophy is given to the individual who raises the most money.
Terrio is a national education learning facilitator with Humana in De Pere. He has done volunteer work for the Red Cross for 17 years.
“It is an absolute honor and privilege to represent Humana, our associates and my community in this fun event,” Terrio said. “I have never danced like this before, so this will be a journey of well-being — both emotional and physical — that I am ready to embark on for such a great cause.”
At the age of 13, Terrio was involved in a car accident in the town of Red Springs. The vehicle he was riding in collided with a train. At the hospital, Terrio was given several units of blood, provided by the American Red Cross, that ultimately saved his life, but he also suffered severe injuries to his right leg and knee.
“I was told either they could clean up and rebuild the damage from the accident and have limited mobility or I would lose my right leg,” Terrio said. “We went into the surgery not knowing what could happen and came out of it with my leg rebuilt and the long road to recovery ahead of me.”
Terrio underwent five months of intense rehabilitation.
“Being an active 13-year-old, to be told you can’t participate in football or basketball was damaging to me,” he said.
Terrio remembers standing and walking for the first time after five months of being immobile.
“I began to cry, not because it hurt, but because I never thought I would stand or walk again,” he said.
Shortly thereafter, Terrio began his service to the American Red Cross and began participating in theater productions, which spurred an interest in dance.
“It has always been on my bucket list,” Terrio said. “What better way to try something you have longed to experience while giving back to an organization that saved my life.”
Terrio’s campaign, called “Dan’s Drive to 5,” was inspired by the journey he took from the car/train accident to the ballroom.
“I went through five units of blood and five months of intense rehabilitation to learn how to walk again,” he said. “The campaign runs five months and I’m aiming to raise $50,000, so the name fits.”
More information regarding the event, campaign and where to donate can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/drivetofive2016.
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