A Prayer for Cory Garabedian

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Cory Garabedian is the type of son any parent would be proud to call their own.

A fine student-athlete, he’s been an even better Armenian American whose heritage never wavered—not for a moment.

As a member of two champion relay teams at the AYF Olympic Games, Cory represented his Providence chapter the way a fervent politician stands for a political party. With conviction and plenty of gusto. Best be said, he didn’t just fit the mold, he broke it!

Today, the 23-year-old lies in a hospital bed, his fate in God’s hands. He suffered serious injuries in a horrific auto accident Christmas Eve morning when his vehicle swerved to avoid another automobile before striking a barrier. Cory was ejected 75 feet from the back seat. The end result has become a living nightmare.

As of this writing, Cory remains critical inside the Intensive Care Unit of Rhode Island Hospital under the care of a Russian specialist named Bella Arvanessian, who happened to graduate from nearby Brown University.

Cory had planned to finish his education at Dean College in Franklin, Mass. and play football after distinguishing himself in high school.

Michael Varadian, a highly regarded Providence mentor who holds a high position with the Rhode Island Department of Health, contacted the hospital’s chief of staff and chief of vascular surgery to watch over Cory.

Numerous surgeries have taken place to address a fractured neck and other in injuries. A leg was amputated from the knee down.  An induced coma has kept him from feeling the pain. According to reports, his injuries are survivable.

Rev. Fr. Shnork Souin of Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Church joins Rev. Archpriest Gomidas Baghsarian of Sts. Vartanantz Church with regular visits and prayers of healing.

E-mails and Facebook messages continue to arrive from around the country from friends, acquaintances, and even total strangers.

The annual AYF Convention wrapped up in Philadelphia with $1,700 being raised for Cory’s medical expenses. According to insiders, “fines” were purposely imposed to enhance the fund. Additional contributions are expected to be raised through raffle proceeds at the Providence AYF Victory Ball at the end of January, far surpassing other amounts from the past.

A special fund has been created to assist with medical and rehabilitation costs. Checks can be made payable to “Friends of Cory” and sent to Sovereign Bank, 184 Taunton Ave., East Providence, RI 02914 (Attn: Ryan Purcell).

“Cory could be seen wearing the jerseys of local Armenian teams, including the ACYOA and the AYF,” said Steve Elmasian, his advisor-coach. “A whole new world opened up for him and he was taking it all in as fast as he could. Cory’s talent for the game was something to behold, whether he was making plays or shooting three-pointers. He made it look so easy.”

Basketball shares the spotlight with his track prowess. He ran the anchor leg on two gold medal-winning relay teams during the AYF Olympics in New Jersey and Rhode Island. He also played on Homenetmen teams that traveled to Montreal and Washington, D.C.

A trip to Armenia was negated when Cory was called to duty in Cuba with the Army National Guard after high school. He spent time in Guantanamo Bay as a military police officer.

“Cory can run like the wind,” said Elmasian. “He’s a true team player and complements that with a kind, funny, endearing, and respectful personality—a coach’s delight. He wears his uniform with pride.”

Apart from the Armenian arena, Cory played high school basketball, baseball, and football at Central Falls High School, where he was named the Most Valuable Player of the Division 4 Super Bowl a few years ago.

All his AYF and ACYOA friends turned out on a cold and wet day with a large Armenian flag in the stands, leaving him with an indelible impression. Cory later admitted it was all the inspiration he would ever need to help his team to victory.

“I saw my flag and you all made me proud to be an Armenian,” he told his admirers.

Meanwhile, an entire Armenian community waits for a son to heal from injuries that may have taken a lesser person.

“The power of prayer is what Cory needs now,” said Elmasian. “Most people would never have survived the crash this great-grandson of genocide survivors has endured. My guess is that this young man is quite special because he’s getting an enormous amount of requests every day to get well. There’s a long road ahead for Cory. But knowing him, he’s up for the challenge. ”

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Tom Vartabedian

Tom Vartabedian is a retired journalist with the Haverhill Gazette, where he spent 40 years as an award-winning writer and photographer. He has volunteered his services for the past 46 years as a columnist and correspondent with the Armenian Weekly, where his pet project was the publication of a special issue of the AYF Olympics each September.

Latest posts by Tom Vartabedian (see all)

• Vartabedian: My Final Column - November 13, 2016
• A Hat to Match Any Occasion - October 19, 2016
• More Smiles Keep the Frowns Away - October 12, 2016