Norwin High School seniors will get a special gift for homecoming this year — a speech from a Norwin and U.S. Military Academy graduate severely injured in a crash in 1985 and a recently published book outlining his long recovery and how he is inspiring others.
Daniel Priatko, a 1980 Norwin High School graduate and captain of the 1979 football team, is scheduled to speak at a homecoming event on Oct. 15 in the high school auditorium.
Priatko said he will talk about how the memories of his senior homecoming in 1979 remain with him, despite it being decades ago.
A book about Priatko’s story of faith and courage in face of hardship, “A Noble Knight,” written by Greensburg author Scott Brown, will be distributed to the students by Dan Priatko, Bill Priatko, and Brown.
The books were purchased by James Zockoll, a North Braddock native and a successful business developer living in London, who was Bill Priatko’s classmate, Brown said. Priatko and Zockoll were friends and they graduated from the former Scott High School in 1949.
“He has never forgotten where he has come from,” Brown said of Zockoll. “It is a gesture that has astounded and humbled me.”
Zockoll said that Dan Priatko’s story is inspiring and he wanted to give the books to the Norwin seniors.
“It’s such a wonderful thing to learn how to face adversity in life,” Zockoll said.
Zockoll bought books for every player, coach and trainer on Norwin’s football team last season, Brown said.
Dan Priatko said that the book Brown wrote “will help you with any future form of adversity that may occur in your life.”
All of the students “can lead Noble Lives,” Priatko said.
