Conquering Kilimanjaro: A Journey with Joseph

From Evan Pucillo

On February 9, 2021, my son Joseph Angelo was born — and died — within a matter of hours. That same night, I watched helplessly as my wife, Marie, nearly lost her life too. Emergency surgery and blood transfusions saved her, but our world was shattered.

Grief has been our mountain ever since.

Nearly five years later, we’re still climbing. We’re still learning how to carry both the weight of our loss and the joy of raising our two living children, Elena Rose and Giovanni. Healing hasn’t been a straight path — but it’s been one we’ve chosen to walk with intention, together.

And now, I am preparing to climb a mountain of a different kind: Mount Kilimanjaro.

On February 9th, 2026 — Joseph’s 5th birthday – I will begin a 7-day journey to summit the tallest free-standing mountain in the world. It’s our way of honoring Joseph. Our way of carrying his name upward, step by step. Our way of turning pain into purpose.

Through this climb, our goal is to raise $10,000 for RTZ, the organization that supported Marie when she needed it most. They helped hold us together when everything else was falling apart. We want other families, walking through loss, to have that same lifeline.

I’ll be sharing more soon. For now, I just want you to know: this climb is for Joseph. And I’d be honored to have you walk beside us — in spirit, in support, and in hope.