Giovanni Miccichè, Angelo, Anna Barca Miccichè, and Jackie ~ 2009

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Ange, Angie, Angelo, Tom Jr., and Tony Jr. ~ 2009	Dan Verrico with Angelo ~ 2012

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With lifelong friend Sarah Rumer ~ 2013	2013	2014

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CONIGLIO, Angelo Raymond August 9, 1962 ~ January 17, 2015.
Beloved son of Angelo F. and Angie Bongiovanni Coniglio.  Loving big brother and friend of his late sister Angela Y. Coniglio.  Angelo went to sleep with his loved ones beside him.  A star ice-hockey player, in 1984, he sustained a spinal cord injury while playing the game he loved.  Although it left him a quadriplegic, he nevertheless loved life, and he completed a bachelor’s degree at the University of Buffalo after his injury. Angelo also loved fishing; writing prose and poetry; creating graphic arts; and MUSIC ~ the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and so many more.  He played the harmonica, guitar, and keyboard, emulating his rock heroes.	He created many striking graphics for family, friends and acquaintances, and most of his acquaintances soon became his friends.   He withstood his debilitating injury for thirty-one years, with courage and an easy-going, infectious personality.  Angelo has donated his organs to UNYTS. Angelo is survived by his parents, his dear aunts Connie Coniglio Miller and Teresa Lanza Long, and by dozens of loving cousins too numerous to mention, but all of whom held a place in his heart. The family will be present on Saturday, January 24th from 1 PM – 6 PM at the Perna, Dengler, Roberts Funeral Home, 1671 Maple Road, Williamsville.
Excalibur Leisure Skills Center made it possible for Angelo and many others with physical limitations to go out on Lake Erie to fish.  It would make him happy to have donations go to them, to help them continue their work, care of 90 North Drive, Buffalo 14216.
Click here for The Buffalo News Guest Page for Angelo
Click here for the Perna, Dengler, Roberts Tribute Page

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Angelo Raymond Coniglio, a local amateur ice-hockey player who sustained a spinal cord injury in 1984 while playing hockey, died Saturday November 17, 2015, of complications of his injury, but not until surviving thirty-one years as an independent person.  In spite of being a quadriplegic, unable to walk and with limited use of his hands, Coniglio completed a Bachelor’s Degree in English at the University of Buffalo and subsequently wrote poetry and prose, as well as creating a volume of computer-assisted art graphics, including several logos for reunions of his Amherst Central High School Class of 1980.  He was a driving force for organizing many of the class's annual reunions.    In his youth, he was a resident of Eggertsville, attending Windemere Boulevard Elementary School and Amherst Central High School.   He lived with his parents for ten years after his injury, before moving to a wheelchair-accessible home in Clarence, where he lived alone, with periodic home health care support.  The Clarence property had a pond that he had stocked with fish.  He was an avid fisherman and took pride in the fact that he could go out to the pond alone, in his motorized wheelchair, and unassisted, still catch fish.  He recently moved to Kenmore, where he was closer to his parents and community services and shops.    In his whole life, Coniglio was not a stranger to hospitals.  Besides his many later hospitalizations for quadriplegia, his parents noted that his first surgery (for a condition called pyloric stenosis) took place less than a month after he was born, in 1962.  “He was so tiny, and the incision was so small” recalled his mother Angela “that they covered it with a finger band-aid.”    Wheatfield Blades Magruders ~ Angelo (7) taking a saucer pass from Dan Morris. Angelo telling the bench that Dan Morris always complains to the ref. Coniglio played amateur hockey for several teams, primarily the Wheatfield Blades, and on a recreational team for Magruder’s Tavern.  After his hockey accident, in spite of constant severe pain, he was known as a gregarious, happy-go-lucky person who never complained.  His toughness in withstanding the rigors of his condition impressed all who knew him.  He was an organ donor: his eyes, veins and skin will go to others, and his brain will be used for research.  He is survived by his parents Angelo Felice and AngelaYvonne Bongiovanni. His beloved sister Angela Yvonne passed away in 1996.

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Some of you knew Angelo when he was a little boy who knew the names and characteristics of every dinosaur.  Some knew him when he was a happy-go-lucky teenager, with a fishing pole or a hockey stick.              Probably none who knew him then would have ever said he was ‘tough’, and outwardly, you may have thought that even as an adult, that word didn’t suit him.                But Angelo was tough.  Tough enough to go through daily indignities by people who, (to help him, to be sure), poked, prodded and manhandled him in ways I can’t mention, just to get him ready for each day, day after day, for thirty-one years, enduring constant pain we can’t imagine.  And to still smile when he greeted you.                Tough enough to say that if he could, he’d strap on his skates once more, and test ‘the old slap-shot’.                 Many of us, at any age, are fearful to speak of our own death, or if we do, we think of it as some vague future event we don’t have to worry about right now.  Angelo was tough enough with death staring him in the face, to discuss it, and to help us to know what to do when it came, too soon.           So remember him as we do, not only as the talkative, gregarious, generous person he was, but as the toughest man you ever knew.  And if you’re lucky enough to cross over to the place he’s in, look for him.  He’ll be carrying a fishing pole, wearing a Sabres cap, and humming a Grateful Dead tune.

A facebook post by one of Angelo's nurses and friends, on the seventh anniversary of his passing: I was blessed to have known Angelo and witness this toughness. I was young and fairly naive at the time, having not endured my own adversity as yet, just beginning my Nursing career. Angelo taught me. He taught me what grace looks like. Add to that strength, courage and perseverance. He taught me the power of humour, music and art because he possessed all those gifts and shared them with others. I am grateful for that time in my life that I was blessed to have Angelo as my friend. He truly was special.  Michele Bliss

Angelo finally reached peace on Saturday, January 17.  While his Mom and I were considering what the death notice should say, we decided to ask those who wished to remember him to make donations to Excalibur, a non-profit group that makes it possible folks with disabilities to board a boat and go out on local waterways to fish.  Angelo loved fishing, and he had gone out with Excalibur and enjoyed it immensely.  We put Excalibur in the notice, and on the 19th, I called Excalibur Leisure Services to let them know about the arrangement.  I spoke to one of the directors, Kathy Catalano.  She thanked me and asked when Angelo had passed away.  "Was it Saturday?"  I said yes, why?, and she said that she and her husband were outside on Saturday when they saw a bright spot or object in the sky.  Kathy asked "What is that, the sun?" and her husband said no, the sun was behind them.  He wondered "Is that an apparition?" Kathy described what they saw as "like a rainbow", and the next day, they saw the death notice with the request for gifts to Excalibur.  She told me that because of various problems, the future of Excalibur was "iffy", but with new donations, they would be able to continue helping folks like Angelo enjoy the great outdoors. So what (or who) do you think it was that they saw in the sky on Saturday?  I know.    Here's Kathy's account, in her own words: . I do believe that what Jim and I experienced Saturday afternoon at Forest Lawn was a message/gift to us all from Angelo.  The colors were vibrant, and in constant movement.  When Jim first saw the rainbow, above what we thought was the sun, we were awestruck.  When I looked up to my left, and saw the actual sun, I said to him, "Jim. that's not the sun."   The light coming thru the cloud was so bright, I said to him, "There can't be two suns, is it the moon?"   Jim said it was like an apparition.   We stood there for about ten minutes just trying to comprehend what was happening.   When I read about Angelo's passing Sunday morning, I said to Jim that there had to be some connection.   Later at dinner, when part of the family was together, we began talking about Saturday afternoon and your son.  My daughter's boyfriend, Brian (who is also a musician, he plays bass and my daughter, violin. ) said, "That's him! I know it".   After you called me this morning, I believe that this was no accident and an affirmation to all that Angelo has come to rest in the goodness of the Divine. For donations, Excalibur's address is 90 North Drive, Buffalo 14216.  Below are some photos of the Excalibur experience.

Click the above Excalibur logo for more details.

Angelo's last wish was that his ashes be spread at Ryan Trail in Allegany State Park. His cousins Tim Valint and DJ Valint were there while his memorial was being held last Saturday in Williamsville. Here's Tim spreading some of Angelo's ashes in the creek by No. 5 Ryan Trail. Tim and DJ said: "Angelo and Angela, you were inspirations to us all.  May your souls be at peace, and long may you run!"                                                                           Thank you Tim and DJ.

Angelo's accessible 2013 Dodge Caravan was given in his name to The Independence Foundation, an organization that provides support and assistance to children and individuals with physical disabilities so that they may live independent, self-directed lives.  Click on the logo for their website. 2220 Hall Road - Elma, New York 14059

One of Angelo's last wishes was for us to take his ashes to Cape Cod.  We visited there from 6 June to 13 June, 2015.
Our rental on Gull Cove Road at Wallis Drive in South Yarmouth

We spread Angelo's ashes at the Parker River bridge and in the Bass River at Dennis Beach, two spots where he loved to fish.		We had lobstah rolls at Jerry's, where Angelo liked the fried clams.

Click HERE for Angelo's facebook page.