At age 4, Nicole was in a motor vehicle accident. As a result, she became a C3/C4 level quadriplegic. She was vent dependent for 7 years, and at age 11 wound up in the hospital with pneumonia. This is when her and her family first learned of the Avery Diaphragm Pacemaker. She was then implanted in May 2001 and has been pacing 24/7 ever since.
She graduated in May 2014 from New York Institute of Technology having received a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising. Nicole has worked for the Suffolk County Legislature as a social media intern as well as for Cohen Children’s Medical Center through the NYIT Carleton Group. Nicole started working for Avery Biomedical Devices (ABD), manufacturer of the Avery Diaphragm Pacemaker System, as their Communications Coordinator in November 2015.
One of Nicole’s many dreams was to move to California. In December of 2018, that dream became a reality when she moved from New York to California. She is currently living on her own and continues to work with Avery remotely. In her spare time, she still loves going to concerts, shopping, and enjoying her independent life exploring California.
Nicole says “I would never be able to do this if it wasn’t for my Avery pacer! It has given me the confidence, motivation, and independence to achieve my biggest goals.”
Source: ABD-PP-024, Rev B 12/2020
