TAMAQUA, Pa. — Skips Dairy Bar and Grill on Claremont Avenue in Tamaqua is where the Agosti family are every day, running their family restaurant together.
While working in the food industry has its struggles, the Agostis are facing one of the biggest obstacles yet.
Linda Agosti, the co-owner and mother of four, is now living with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
"I remember I was working at our family restaurant, and my dad came in with swollen eyes. And my oldest brother and I, Anthony, we just looked at each other, and we knew. And I went to her in the car, and I just gave her the biggest hug," said Gianna Agosti.
After decades of caring for her four children, Gianna and her three brothers have switched to their mom's caretaker. Linda Agosti did the same years ago when her own mother and Nico Agosti's grandmother was battling ALS.
"Her ALS started in her throat and her vocal muscles, so she lost her ability to speak. So, it was very slow, so what started as her fumbling some words and forgetting some words turned into her losing her ability to speak altogether," said Nico Agosti.
"This is the disease I used to say I would never wish upon my worst enemy, and it turned into a reality. But we're trying to turn it into a positive," Gianna Agosti added.
The Agostis have created their own foundation for ALS awareness called Believe 4 Linda. Through their nonprofit, they want to create a community of support for other families who are taking care of a loved one living with ALS.
"We're not afraid to talk about it; this is our life. We have to deal with this every day, so we're just trying to inform others about ALS and what it looks like and what we can do to help battle it," Nico Agosti said.
"We're raising money for our specific gene research because, unfortunately, this gene is genetic, so it will get passed on. There's a 50/50 chance that it's going to get passed on to each of us kids," said Gianna Agosti.
Believe 4 Linda will host their first fundraising event as a nonprofit at Marian Catholic High School Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.