5 questions with Joel Nolasco, ACE

Joel Nolasco, ACE

Joel Nolasco’s world changed on Nov. 22, 2023, because of a double brain aneurysm. It happened while driving a route for his Mamaroneck, N.Y.-based company, NuBorn Pest Control. With patience and determination, Nolasco continues his journey on the road to recovery. He still serves as a director-at-large for the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) and the secretary for the New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA).

1. What do you recall about what happened to you that day?

I was driving and on the phone with our marketing person, David Ulloa. He tells me I told him I had the worst headache I’ve ever had and that my vision was a little blurry. He told me to pull over. I told him I would once the red light changed and that there was a spot open right across the intersection. After that, he said all he heard was heavy breathing and that I was not responding to his voice. He was worried and brought my business partner, Anthony Grullon, onto the call.

One of the angry NYC drivers stuck behind me must have called 9-1-1 because police arrived and broke the back window of my truck while Anthony and David were still connected to the call. The police let them know where I was.

Anthony called my brother, Rickie Michel, to go to the scene. Rickie made sure the ambulance took me to Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, where he works.

My girlfriend, Margaret Valenzuela, already was at the hospital when I arrived. She says I was green when she saw me, and my hands were clenched and curled. I was rushed into emergency surgery to relieve the pressure in my brain from the blood. I had a tube sticking out of my head to drain the blood. The doctors then scheduled my craniotomy, a surgery that removed part of my skull so they could get to my brain (and then place the skull piece back) for Jan. 9, 2024. It was pushed up to Jan. 2, 2024, though, because my health was declining while waiting for the procedure.

2. You have two children who mean the world to you. How has it been reconnecting and reassuring them as you recover?

It’s been tough because they live 45 minutes away. When I first got home, I was not able to drive. I had to take driver’s ed and pass a driving test administered by the driving school to get medical clearance to drive again. That took a toll on us — there were a lot of games and activities that I missed. These days, though, we have a schedule we follow. They have been very understanding throughout the process. Now, when I forget things, they say, “It’s OK, Daddy, you have a hole in your head, and you are still recovering.”

3. Are you back to doing the day-to-day work for NuBorn, NPMA and NYPMA?

I am fully back with the business and all the work I was doing with the associations. This scare taught Anthony and me a big lesson in our roles as co-owners of NuBorn and the importance of having a plan for the unexpected.

I set a goal years ago when I first visited the NPMA headquarters and saw the wall with the portraits of all the past presidents. I want to add some color and Spanish sazón, or “spice,” to the wall! The current NPMA president, Faye Golden, adds the color. I hope to inspire a future person who looks at the wall or reads the list of presidents to say to themselves, “If that Spanish kid from the Bronx can do it, so can I.”

4. How has the industry responded to your situation?

I’m very grateful to the pest control industry for rallying around me, especially those from the NPMA and the NYPMA. They gave me hope and strength from the phone calls, cards and many packages I received at home. Joe Sheehan from Colony Pest Management and John Hichak from Veseris even started a GoFundMe page for my medical expenses.

5. What advice do you have for other PMPs when dealing with the unexpected and triumphing over setbacks?

The best advice comes from Margaret. She reminded me every day to keep a positive attitude and outlook. That positivity kept me going the many days I wanted to quit or couldn’t see the goal.

I’ve also learned that the mind and body are much stronger than we think. We need to keep pushing through the difficult moments and have an attitude of never giving up. Having a purpose is necessary to keep you going. Attach a purpose to your goals, and they will not seem like work; they will just feel like this is what we’re supposed to be doing.