VIDEO: ‘Jesus Walks These Halls’: Massapequa Woman Defies Odds After Cancer, Ventilator Battle

COMMACK, NY — Nurses, therapists, aides and family members lined the halls clapping and cheering Monday afternoon as 73-year-old Roseann Iavarone made her way through Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center smiling through tears after a recovery doctors believed she might never make.

The Massapequa resident arrived at the facility on Jan. 22 unable to breathe on her own, dependent on a ventilator, tracheostomy tube and feeding tube after cancer surgery left her fighting for survival. On Monday, she left the rehabilitation center and returned home.

“I’m overwhelmed in emotion of love,” Iavarone said as she prepared to leave the facility. “This institution is blessed by God. These people work with Jesus every day, the love, the compassion, the warmth, the dignity, the respect for me as a person. I have felt nothing but love from the minute I came here.”

Doctors discovered Iavarone’s esophageal cancer in late 2025, shortly before her Dec. 2 surgery.

During the operation, physicians realized the cancer was far more extensive than initially believed. What was expected to be a routine several-hour procedure stretched into a 12-hour surgery as doctors removed her stomach entirely and reconstructed her digestive tract.

Dr. Grigoriy Krichmir, Gurwin’s medical director and Iavarone’s treating physician, said she spent roughly six to eight weeks hospitalized after surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering before being transferred to Gurwin.

By the time she arrived, she remained dependent on a ventilator, suffered severe respiratory complications and faced an uncertain prognosis.

“We had a lot of doubts about her recovery, especially in view of her compromised respiratory status,” Krichmir said. “Our goal here was really not to treat her cancers, but to get her stable enough for further treatment, and we have achieved that. She’s still gonna have to follow with oncology for further treatments, but now she’s in a condition that she can actually sustain it.”

Gurwin used a multidisciplinary treatment approach involving pulmonologists, respiratory therapists, antibiotics, steroids and rehabilitation specialists to slowly rebuild her strength and respiratory function.

“She arrived for further care and respiratory support, and during her stay here, she achieved all the milestones we set,” Krichmir said.

Despite setbacks, including rehospitalization during recovery, Iavarone eventually regained the ability to function independently again.

“I wasn’t sure that we were going to be able to get her off mechanical ventilation,” Krichmir admitted. “But she did amazingly. She had a great recovery. She’s able to walk, eat and do everything you would expect. It’s a tremendous case of recovery of somebody after prolonged surgery.”

Iavarone said doctors removed all of the cancer during surgery, though she is expected to continue follow-up care with oncology specialists. She credited her survival to faith, prayer, her family and the compassion of Gurwin’s staff.

“When I came here, I couldn’t even turn on the bed for them to change my diaper,” she said. “You have to get that little bit of strength to move. And then one day, it just all comes together. It’s the nutrition that they give you, it’s the love, it’s the support, it’s the ‘You Can Do It.’”

Iavarone said she hopes others learn from her experience. After years of dealing with chronic heartburn before discovering the cancer, she urged people not to ignore warning signs.

“Take care of yourself when you don’t feel good,” she said.

She said faith and family became critical sources of support during her recovery.

“I love this place,” she said. “Jesus walks these halls. My family got closer to God because of this.”

The family owns and operates Iavarone Brothers, a family-owned Italian food and restaurant company with locations throughout Long Island, including Wantagh, Garden City and Mastic. The business is approaching its 100th anniversary and is now operated by the fourth generation of the family. According to the family, the company continued operating while Roseann’s sons remained by her side throughout her illness.

Her son, Jonathan Iavarone, said the family initially believed the biggest hurdle would be the cancer surgery itself.

“We thought she was going be home in a couple weeks,” he said. “Then this pulmonary issue kind of came out of left field. We didn’t really know what her state was going to be getting out of here. But in five, six weeks, she really made leaps and bounds daily.”

One of Roseann’s major goals was returning home around Mother’s Day. Jonathan credited Gurwin’s staff, his mother’s determination and the strength of their close-knit family for helping her recover.

“She really wanted to be home by Mother’s Day,” he said. “It’s been the care from people here, the strength of the family, of course, her own strength most importantly, and a lot of positive thinking. Can’t say enough good things about this place.”

Even after months of surgeries, ventilators and uncertainty, Roseann’s humor remained intact.

“I’m a tough Italian,” she joked. "And when I want something done, it’s going to get done.”

Now focused on rebuilding strength, Iavarone said she is looking forward to spending time with her eight grandchildren and reuniting with her dog, Emma Rose, a Maltese-poodle mix waiting for her at home in Massapequa.

As applause echoed through the hallway and staff members hugged her goodbye, Iavarone paused one final time to look around the facility she credits with helping save her life.

“I cannot wait to get home today,” she said.