Born into a quirky family of Latino immigrants, Sharlene Battaglia enjoyed spending her days writing stories about her family’s antics. In spite of their struggles and the cloud of misery that followed them, they never let an hour go by without the sound of laughter resonating through the halls of their apartments. She began filling a folder with their stories, knowing that one day, others would benefit from the laughter that no amount of sorrow can silence.
On the tragic day of September 11, 2001, Sharlene’s dream was lost, with a new one born in the ashes. Presumed dead for hours, her father found his way back to her, covered in dust and blood. She was inspired by a city that came together – accompanied by her father’s obsession with the search and rescue – Sharlene’s dream shifted. Shortly after, she became an Emergency Medical Technician, hoping to make a difference in a world that bled much more than it healed. It was shortly after that she met her husband. After their third child, Sharlene’s ambitions changed again, having decided to stay home to focus on their special needs children. One day while cleaning out the attic, her husband found that dusty folder filled with his wife’s stories. She caught him sharing the tales of laughter, tragedy and the unbreakable women that kept their families alive, with their children. It was the sounds their laughter that reminded Sharlene of what she was meant to do.