November 2018
WHEEL WORLD NEWS
23
"One Voice" by Johnny Gioeli
For Joe Barber - SCI Survivor
Johnny is an accomplished musician who has been a member of several successful bands and released over 50 albums in the past 30 years. He has written and performed for Sega Games (specifically Sonic the Hedgehog video games), is the current lead singer of the international rock group Axel Rudi Pell, and is a founding member and current lead singer/songwriter of Hardline, a band that once featured Neal Schon and Deen Castronovo of the band Journey.
This December, Johnny will be releasing his very first solo album, titled One Voice . Not only is this album a very exciting milestone in his career, but it is also extremely special to us, as through it we have been able to raise money for Joe Barber, a young man in our small Connecticut community. Joe suffered a spinal cord injury three years ago that has left him paralyzed from the chest down.
Over the past two years, through the making of this album, we have witnessed the kindness and generosity of thousands of people all around the world who have donated their own money to help Joe, most of whom have never even met him. People have even taken the time to write letters and emails pledging their support for him. It has given him so much hope. We have been able to raise enough money for one year’s worth of physical therapy for Joe, and we are so proud of this feat. What started out as a musical endeavor quickly became a heartwarming story of how a musician was able to positively impact the life of someone in need, how music can be a driving force that connects us all for the greater good, and, more simply, how people are good.
We are not looking for donations, but simply wish to share our story with as many people as possible, as it is a true testament to the goodness of humanity. In a world where we are constantly inundated with negativity, we hope this story can be a beacon of hope to those with spinal cord injuries, their families, and anyone else who may need it. “When we come together, we are strong...we are One Voice” ~ Johnny Gioeli
Written by: Linnea Gioeli
Watch Youtube video here