Capuanos reach halfway mark

June 20, 2001

DAY FOUR -- 25 states down, 23 to go - Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, and Nevada Ralph and William Capuano successfully flew over the Rockies, a trip they were nervous about from the start. "It was the toughest part of their trip, but they did it," said Gary Jones. Jones and his daughter, Darlene Clarke, have been crossing their fingers for days that the Brothers Capuano would make it over the mountains. The brothers embarked on the 7,000-mile flight Saturday in their single-engine plane and intend to stop in all 48 contiguous states within a week to raise funds for Clarke, a 25-year-old mother of two small children, who is suffering from leukemia. At one time Clarke was able to work two jobs but since her diagnosis in March, she is unemployed, and her husband recently lost his job. Now at the halfway mark the two stopped Tuesday night for a rest in Las Vegas. After shaking some dice and pulling the arms of a few slot machines, they will continue their journey. The pilots are paying for the flight and related costs themselves, and have raised more than $7,000 so far. The Capuanos urge anyone interested in helping the Clarke family meet mounting medical bills to make a donation to the "Leukemia Fund Darlene Clarke" or by purchasing a poster of the flight itinerary for $48 at Capuano Buick, Cadillac, GMC, at 790 Main St., in Torrington or the Caddillac Ranch on West Street in Southington or by e-mail at capuanosales@snet.net.

©The Register Citizen 2001