Joseph Cutrone

The first time I walked into Dr. DiFelice's office I was scared because I already knew that I had torn my ACL a few days prior. When he came into the office, there was immediately something different about him in comparison to any other doctor I have gone to. He told me what he thought and, after an MRI, diagnosed me with a torn ACL and LCL. To say I was destroyed is an understatement as he explained the seriousness of the injury. I had plans on playing college football my entire life and now I sat there as he was telling me that my senior season was over. I knew I lost my chances of a scholarship at this point but I never lost hope of returning. Dr. DiFelice looked at me as I sat in the room with a tear coming down my face and said, "I promise I will do my part to get you out on the field if you do yours." This held to be true as it took another surgery to straighten my tibia and fibula a year later before I could return to the field. However, after 18 months of rehab and 2 surgeries Dr. DiFelice cleared me to play and I could never thank him enough for what he did for me. I went on to play college football for 1 year and am now a senior and the captain of my school's rugby team. When I was scared the most I knew I needed the best and that is exactly what I got with Dr. DiFelice. He was not just someone doing his job by fixing my knee but someone that really cared about the outcome. Being a former Princeton running back and NYAC rugby player he understood the desire to return to the game which is why I was willing to listen to him when he told me to take it slow or to be careful.