When Theresa Sheranko first moved in to The Chelsea at Greenburgh, she couldn’t do much by herself. She was coming out of rehab, after previously being hospitalized, for a fractured neck and broken hip. Now, she can “take care of all her needs” during the day.
And by her side, she’s had her husband, Will, of 54 years to help along the way.
FIRST RESIDENTS
Will and Theresa had been considering moving into an Assisted Living community years ago.
“Will was still driving, and I was still cooking and shopping, but it was getting more difficult,” Theresa said. “Then I fell.”
That moment accelerated the process. While Theresa was recovering, Will and their niece and nephew started to do some research. They visited about half a dozen communities in the area, but fell in love with The Chelsea.
While the community in Greenburgh had not opened its doors to residents yet, Will was thrilled with the atmosphere, the staff, and the apartments.
Both Will and Theresa, however, were ready to move in prior to the opening. The Chelsea provided temporary accommodations at their sister community in West Milford, NJ at Bald Eagle. They were there for several months until Greenburgh officially opened.
MEETING WHILE TEACHING
Will and Theresa were both teaching at a primary school in Farmingdale, NY. That’s where they met. Lifelong educators. But they took very different paths to get there.
Will and Theresa met while teaching at an elementary school in Long Island and have been married for 54 years. / Chelsea Senior Living
Theresa, originally from Brooklyn, NY, went to school at Hunter College to pursue teaching.
Will, originally from Pittsburgh, PA, was previously working for the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) in Germany for expatriates who were typically part of military families. Will was in administration. When he left, he worked in Long Island and never left.
He asked Theresa out and they were engaged two months later. Five months after that, they married.
They lived in Farmingdale, taught in Farmingdale, and traveled the world together. While they have over two dozen nieces and nephews, they never had kids, but they always had each other and their students.
“To this day, I am still in touch with students I had way, way back,” Theresa said. “In fact, one of my students is a grandmother now. So, I feel like I’m a grandmother to these students.”
Both retired after 33 years in the classroom.
IT’S A MIRACLE
During their time off while working, they always made a point to travel, in part to see their families but in large part to see the world.
They took their car cross country to California; cruised the oceans including a trip on the MS Queen Elizabeth; and flown to various countries such as Italy and France.
The Sherankos love to travel and have been all over the country and world. / Chelsea Senior Living
Even when teaching was behind them, they always looked forward to their next destination.
But as they were aging, travel became difficult. And then Theresa’s accident really put things into perspective.
When they first arrived at The Chelsea, Theresa needed two nursing aides to help her with nearly everything.
“Two aides to get me in bed, get me out of bed, take care me,” she said.
But months of persistence, hard work, and help from The Chelsea staff and FOX Rehab, Theresa was out of a wheelchair and moving with a walker. You can see some of her progress in the video at the top of this page.
“I can’t believe it,” she said. “I never thought I’d be in this situation. To a degree, I’m independent. I can stand; I don’t need anyone to help me. I was in hospital for nearly a month, then I was in rehab. I never thought I’d be in this good of a situation. I helped myself to a degree but I also can thank Chelsea here.”
“You would have to see it to believe it,” Will said. “She fell and fractured her neck and had a broken hip bone. It’s really a miracle with where she started out with to where is now.”
