Your Purpose, Your Power: A Journey to Authenticity

6/25/25  Guest Denise Zarella
https://youtu.be/aUiv46bnkfE?si=d_qL3s-HDgjaVnBy

In a moving and revealing conversation, Cleveland 13 reporter Denise Zarrella spoke about the everyday realities of raising a child with special needs while juggling a career, family, and self-care. The discussion, featured in the first episode of Your Purpose, Your Pride, Your Power: A Journey to Authenticity, offered an unfiltered look at Zarrella’s life as a mother, journalist, realtor, and advocate. Zarrella is the mother of Gianna—lovingly known as “G” or “Gigi”—who is 16 and has both Down syndrome and autism. During the interview, she reflected on the layered challenges and profound joy of parenting a child with complex needs. “She recently just learned how to put her socks on,” she said, describing the triumphs that many parents might overlook. “That was a huge accomplishment.” Gigi attends Camp Imagine in Avon Lake each summer, where she and other students on IEPs work on goals while enjoying a camp setting. Zarrella emphasized how critical programs like this are for families. “I see the same love and devotion and maybe some of the exhaustion also that I feel myself in all the parents,” she said. Zarrella discussed how her role as an advocate evolved from necessity. After years of balancing a demanding TV news career, she made the decision in 2019 to step away from full-time broadcasting to focus more on her children. “My kids were getting closer to the people who were helping us than me,” she recalled. The shift to real estate allowed her more flexibility, though she remains active in media through Cleveland 13 News and her ongoing contributions to local radio stations WOBL and WDLW. Even with these transitions, Zarrella continues to prioritize family above all. Her daughter’s development remains at the heart of her daily routine, from preparing meals to ensuring consistent care. While support services and waivers provide some relief, Zarrella is candid about the emotional weight of future planning. “My new worry is what happens to G beyond me,” she admitted. “Even if we wrote something down today, you constantly have to be reevaluating and reassessing these things.” The conversation also highlighted the significance of caregiver well-being. Zarrella recently recommitted to walking two miles a day as part of her self-care. “You’d be amazed at the stress relief that comes from that,” she said, encouraging other parents to carve out small moments for themselves. In addition to her reporting and real estate work, Zarrella has relaunched a monthly social hour for families of individuals with special needs at Avon Lake United Church of Christ. The event provides an informal setting for connection, music, and shared support. “What I think we all need more of are just simple opportunities to get together and talk,” she said. Among her many accomplishments, Zarrella is also the author of a children’s book titled Not Even The Sky Is The LIMIT!, inspired by Gianna and created to promote understanding and inclusion of people with disabilities. Throughout the interview, Zarrella’s message was clear: her story is one of perseverance, love, and continued growth. “God gave G to me for a reason… maybe there’s something that you and I can share that might help someone.” ————-

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