GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County teenager with an incurable form of cancer received blessings in Vatican City Wednesday from the pope himself.
Gino Vizzi was diagnosed with the rare form of leukemia last year, but the 17-year-old has committed himself to a noble cause.
He formed the Prayer 4 Foundation to help other children who have cancer.
"Gino is a selfless individual. It's a testament to three things; his faith, his parents' example, and his overall sense of his need to reach out to younger people,” said family friend Carmen Coya-Van Duijn.
His desire to help others, along with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, took Vizzi to Rome to meet Pope Francis.
During his 14 seconds with the Holy Father, Vizzi asked for a blessing on his effort to help others. Vizzi says he is certain that moment will change his life.
"The Pope is like one step right below God, I feel. So, just to have him touch me or touch my shoulders, it's going to be a great feeling,” Vizzi said before boarding the plane on Sunday.
In Hall County, at his home church, Prince of Peace Church, they pray for the safe return of a young man who they're certain will touch many lives.
"When someone like himself, a young person challenged with a disease like he's fighting, it's always remarkable to see how they think of other people first,” said Deacon Bill Donohue.
Gino takes an oral form of chemotherapy every day. After meeting the pope Wednesday morning, he began to feel very ill and was not able to accept a phone call from Channel 2’s Berndt Petersen.
He returns home on Friday and will be back at church on Sunday.