♪
♪ >> Jason: TWIN BROTHERS REUNITE
ON A JOURNEY TO RECOVERY.
>> THEY SEE EACH OTHER THROUGH A
LOT TOGETHER.
LOT TOGETHER. >> Jason: TONIGHT, WE VISIT THE
CIPRIANO HOME, A PLACE WHERE A
BRUTAL MURDER AND ATTACK TOOK
PLACE 7 YEARS AGO, THE CENTER OF
HOPE AND HEALING FOR THIS
FAMILY.
FAMILY. IT WAS THE STORY THAT CAPTURED
OUR HEARTS AND MINDS 7 YEARS
AGO, THE BASEBALL BAT ATTACK OF
A LOCAL FATHER, MOTHER, AND
BROTHER INSIDE THEIR FARMINGTON
HILLS HOME.
HILLS HOME. >> Karen: AND THERE’S SO MUCH
MORE TO THAT STORY.
BOB CIPRIANO DIED.
ROSE AND SAL CIPRIANO WERE
BEATEN NEARLY TO DEATH.
HIS ADOPTED BROTHER TUCKER AND
HIS FRIEND MITCHELL YOUNG WERE
LATER CONVICTED OF THE CRIME.
WE HAVE A RARE AND EXCLUSIVE
LOOK AT SAL’S RECOVERY AS HIS
FAMILY INVITED ME TO THE HOME
AND A LOOK AT WHAT DERP NATION
AND GRIT CAN DO.
YOU’RE WATCHING A MIRACLE.
24-YEAR-OLD TWIN BROTHERS
PLAYING BASKETBALL.
PLAYING BASKETBALL. DOCTORS WEREN’T SURE SAL
CIPRIANO WOULD EVER WALK AGAIN,
LET ALONE EVER BE ABLE TO PLAY
BALL WITH HIS BROTHER TANNER.
>> IT MEANS A LOT.
WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 7
YEARS NOW.
YEARS NOW. EACH YEAR, WE SEE SO MUCH
GROWTH.
GROWTH. >> Karen: SO MUCH GROWTH.
THIS WAS SAL AFTER HIS ATTACK
TRYING TO GET HIS BRAIN TO TELL
HIS MUSCLES TO MOVE.
>> WATCHING THE FIRST VIDEOS,
THIS ISN’T EVEN YOU.
WHO IS THIS GUY AND WHAT DID YOU
DO WITH HIM?
>> Karen: THROUGH YEARS OF
THERAPY AND WITH A WEALTH OF
DOCTORS, HE ACHIEVED HIS GOAL.
NOW HE PLAYS ON A BASEBALL TEAM.
HE WANTED TO THROW OUT THE FIRST
PITCH AT A TIGERS GAME, SO HE
TRAINED AND HE DID IT!
BUT THAT WASN’T ENOUGH FOR THE
24-YEAR-OLD.
24-YEAR-OLD. >> SAL WANTS TO BE ABLE TO TALK,
WHICH MAKES COMPLETE SENSE.
MOST OF US COMMUNICATE THAT WAY,
IT’S FASTER.
IT’S FASTER. >> Karen: THAT’S ANGIE, HIS
SPEECH PATHOLOGIST AND LET OUR
CAMERAS IN DURING A RECENT
SESSION.
SESSION. >> ONE.
>> ONE. >> FASTER.
>> FASTER. >> ONE.
>> ONE. >> Karen: IT’S STRENUOUS.
>> HE HAS TROUBLE INITIATING THE
SPEECH SOUNDS.
SPEECH SOUNDS. HOW DO I MAKE AN "L" OR AN "M."
>> Karen: SINCE HE LOVES
BASEBALL, THEY WORK ON HIM
CATCHING THE BALL AND SPEAKING.
>> THE MORE WAYS YOU CAN LIGHT
UP THE BRAIN, THE BETTER LUCK WE
HAVE.
HAVE. >> Karen: AS HE TRIES TO GET HIS
SPEECH BACK, HE RELIES ON HIS
PHONE.
PHONE. >> SAL HAS PERFECTLY INTACT
LANGUAGE, HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE
SAY AND HAS A TREMENDOUS SENSE
OF HUMOR.
OF HUMOR. >> Karen: AND YOU CAN SEE IT
FIRSTHAND WHEN HE’S WITH HIS
TWIN BROTHER.
TWIN BROTHER. >> Karen: WHAT IS IT LIKE TO
HAVE HIM BACK?
>> GOOD.
>> GOOD. >> GOOD?
>> GOOD? THAT’S IT?
THAT’S IT? AFTER EVERYTHING I SAID ABOUT
YOU.
YOU. HOW ABOUT A HUG?
>> THEY’RE TWINS, SO THEY SEE
EACH OTHER THROUGH A LOT.
SO IT’S A NEED THAT HE CAN COME
BACK.
BACK. >> Karen: THE EVENT IS A
CIPRIANO CLASSIC, AN ANNUAL 5-K
TO RAISE MONEY TO PAY THE
ALWAYS-MOUNTING MEDICAL
ALWAYS-MOUNTING MEDICAL EXPENSES.
EXPENSES. >> VERY HONORED AND HUMBLED
BECAUSE THERE’S STILL A LOT OF
SUPPORT OF PEOPLE HELPING US
OUT.
OUT. THIS RACE HELPS MOTIVATE ME TO
STAY ON TRACK WITH MY OWN
HEALING AND TO KEEP US ALL
TOGETHER IN A POSITIVE WAY.
>> Karen: TANNER CAME BACK HOME
FOR THIS WEEK’S RACE SO HE CAN
RUN WITH HIS BROTHER.
FAMILY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR
THE CIPRIANOS AND HELPING SAL
REACH HIS DREAM TO SPEAK AGAIN.
>> IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE REALLY
MADE PROGRESS SINCE LAST YEAR.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HOW YOU’RE
DOING?
DOING? >> VERY GOOD.
>> Karen: I’D SAY VERY GOOD IS
AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
AN UNDERSTATEMENT. SAL AND HIS FAMILY ARE SO
EXCITED ABOUT THIS FRIDAY’S 5-K
FUND-RAISING RACE IN FARMINGTON.
IF YOU WANT TO RUN OR DONATE TO
HELP THE FAMILY, WE HAVE THE
INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE,
CLICKONDETROIT.COM.
CLICKONDETROIT.COM. >> Jason: WHAT A GOOD STORY AND
AN INCREDIBLE RECOVERY.
>> Karen: WHEN THEY STARTED
RECOVERY, THE DOCTOR SAID, DO
YOU WANT TO SPEAK OR WALK?
WE HAVE TO CHOOSE ONE.
HE CHOSE WALKING.
NOW SPEAKING, AND I BET HE’S
GONNA DO IT.