Milestones celebrates life of late IT director Eric Roman

WALTHAM-Milestones Day School & Transition Program on Friday, June 9, celebrated the life of its late Information Technology Director, Eric Roman, with a memorial service and Strike Out Cancer event that also successfully raised $4,000 to support the purchase of technology to benefit Milestones students and staff.

Mr. Roman passed away in February after a long and valiant battle with cancer. He had first joined the staff of the special education school in 2021, and in addition to managing all the school’s information technology infrastructure, he also led a popular IT internship program for Milestones students.

Through this internship, students, who are living with a range of learning challenges, gain skills in serving on an IT help desk, and at least one Milestones graduate-to-be is interested in pursuing a career in IT support. Milestones’ IT center has also been renamed in Mr. Roman’s honor as an ongoing tribute to him.

Among those offering tributes to Mr. Roman were Matthew Rego, who has been a student at Milestones since 2014 and worked as an IT intern with Mr. Roman. “I met Eric in early 2021, not knowing he would change my life forever,’’ Matthew said. “I think about him every day. We all wish he were here. Today, we are here to celebrate Eric and all of the good that he did for the Milestones community.’’

Lucas Harris, a post-high-school student at Milestones, said, "We want to portray the amazing person he was. Eric was always there for everybody, and he could put a smile on everyone's face."

Milestones CEO Kim Rockers added: “Both Eric’s supervisor, our CFO Deb Abbott, and I were so struck by never before having known someone who remained as positive as Eric while he received aggressive chemotherapy and underwent numerous surgeries. He touched all of us as a joy to be around. Eric would regularly share with his medical team that he needed to hurry with his treatment, that he loved his job and couldn’t wait to get back to campus because ‘My students need me!’ “

In honor of Mr. Roman’s lifelong love of the New York Yankees and Major League Baseball, the memorial event was organized as a baseball-themed fundraised scheduled on the same day as the first Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox game of the season, held at Yankee Stadium in New York.

Among top contributors to Friday’s event were Rancatore’s Ice Cream and Yogurt, Dietz and Watson, Shaw’s Supermarkets, Spavia Day Spa, Dream Dinners, Formaggio Kitchen, and Hotel Commonwealth. Susan Foster and Hayley Comer of Milestones’ staff led planning efforts for the event, supported by Milestones’ Fundraising Committee, consisting of Deb Abbott, Sarah Folk, Adrienne Gauthier, Mike MacDonald, Kim Rockers, and Michele Steinbrecher.

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About Milestones Day School and Transition Program

Milestones’ expertise is educating students ages 7-22 with disabilities that may affect social communication, executive functioning, sensory regulation, coping skills and academic achievement. Many of our 85 students are diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum or with a Nonverbal Learning Disability, and some have co-occurring challenges such as anxiety, mental health concerns, or specific learning disabilities. Milestones cultivates the potential of every student and young adult by recognizing their strengths, unique needs, and learning differences. Our goal is to ensure that each individual reaches their highest level of success by connecting them to new learning opportunities that help achieve greater independence, foster self-confidence, and create meaningful relationships at school and beyond. Milestones is approved and accredited as a Chapter 766 School by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and

Secondary Education (DESE) and is a member of the Massachusetts Association of Approved

Special Education Schools (MAAPS).