In NEW HANOVER, an extravagant Christmas light display worked miracles, proving doubters wrong.
Adam Canigiani Jr., a 17-year-old senior at Boyertown High School, has faced two kidney transplants and chemotherapy for lymphoma. Despite this, he recently became an Eagle Scout and received the New Hanover Township Distinguished Citizen award with assistance from his family's famous light show, which has been running since 2007. The Canigiani family's light display is a popular attraction, drawing over 5,000 cars. Adam and his neighbor started a food drive, gathering over 7,500 pounds of food for the Boyertown Area Multi-Service through the light show's popularity.The light display has been ongoing since 2007.
The Canigiani family's display attracts more than 5,000 cars, inspiring Adam and his neighbor to organize a food drive. They were able to donate over 7,500 pounds of food to the Boyertown Area Multi-Service due to the light show's popularity.
In 2022, Adam's Eagle Scout project involved visitors of the light show in supporting The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia by directing them to an Amazon wish list created by the Child Life Services Department at CHOP. This campaign's success enabled Adam to deliver 1,000 toys worth over $6,000 to The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in May 2023.
Adam's efforts led to his earning of the Eagle Scout award in November 2023, and the Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony took place on April 20. The Eagle Scout is the highest rank in Boy Scouts, and over 2 million Boy Scouts have achieved this since 1912.
During the ceremony, Adam's current and former Scout leaders spoke about his journey to becoming an Eagle Scout and shared stories about his adventures and character. The ceremony included a formal color guard presentation and blessings from Father Brandt of St. Theresa of Calcutta Parish.
Since 2012, Canigiani has earned several Boy Scout merit badges, including Leatherwork, Chess, Space Exploration, Coin Collecting, Swimming, Rifle Shooting, First Aid, Engineering, Citizenship in the Community, Art, Geocaching, Emergency Preparedness, Archery, Camping, Environmental Science, Cooking, Citizenship in the Nation, Family Life, Communications, Signs, Signals and Codes, Citizenship in the World, Music, Medicine, Pets, Personal Fitness, Personal Management, and Citizenship in Society.
In addition to speeches made in Canigiani's honor, he expressed gratitude to his parents, role models, and God for guiding him toward his achievements, personal growth, and stewardship. His parents, Jessica & Adam Sr., also shared an emotional moment of gratitude, as reported in Scheuren's newsletter.
Adam was born on May 20, 2006, with BOR Syndrome and spent time in the NICU at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. His first kidney, donated by his father in 2010, was rejected, but after several interventions, he was able to use it for 12 years. In July 2022, Adam received a second kidney from an anonymous donor, but was later diagnosed with Post Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder (PTLD) in February.
The illness, a type of diffuse large cell B lymphoma, is linked to organ transplants. Canigiani underwent four rounds of chemotherapy in the spring of 2023 and is now in remission from the cancer.
He never forgot the health challenges he faced and the care he received at CHOP during his childhood. He was determined to brighten the lives of the kids at CHOP, and through his actions, he succeeded. Adam's actions and his ongoing dedication to giving back to his community, church, school, scout troop, parents, and all the help he received have inspired us all. He has a positive impact on everyone he meets and motivates us to be better people.
Scheuren wrote that she was honored to present Adam with a House citation commemorating his accomplishments. She also expressed pride in Adam for earning the distinguished citizen award from his community, stating that at 17, he has faced more challenges and done more community service than most people do in a lifetime.
Canigiani plans to attend Penn State Berks in the upcoming fall.
