Sports Broadcaster Organizes Charity Walk for Colleague’s Medical Care

A community Glow Walk will light up St. John’s streets next Friday evening as popular sports broadcaster Joseph “Jojo” Apparicio turns his birthday celebration into a fundraiser for a colleague in need.

The January 31st event will raise funds for former Observer Radio host Paul Quinn, who has been recovering from a severe stroke since November 2024. Participants will gather at 6 p.m. at Yasco Sports Complex before making their way through the capital, glow sticks and reflective wear in hand.

For Apparicio, host of Observer Radio’s “Good Morning Jojo Sports Show,” the cause is deeply personal. Quinn’s medical crisis prompted him to redirect his annual birthday charity tradition.

“This year, I said to myself, you know what? I need to do something for Paul … and even though Paul is still here, he is just not himself,” Apparicio said.

He added a sobering reflection on how illness transforms lives: “I always say too, you know, if you feel you have money, or you feel life is good, get sick, because, you know, it changes everything around; not just you, but around your family.”

The evening format represents a shift from previous morning walks, designed to accommodate working participants who requested a more accessible time.

Paul Quinn suffered his stroke in the early hours of November 10, 2024. His wife Sheriann, a registered nurse who provides round-the-clock care, recalled waking to her husband repeatedly hitting her and the bed as he began seizing—his desperate attempt to alert her something was wrong.

Initially given only days to live, Quinn has defied expectations with steady progress. He moves all his limbs, is off oxygen, and remains mentally aware of his surroundings, though a tracheostomy prevents him from speaking.

“He’s doing good. He’s coming along quite nicely,” Sheriann said. “A lot of people get anxious with a stroke. But you can take a while before you’re actually fully healed. But he’s on the road to recovery.”

Despite his physical limitations, Quinn remains connected to the medium that defined his career. Sheriann keeps Observer Radio playing each morning, and her husband’s reactions reveal he’s still listening intently.

“It’s funny, because if they’re talking about something that’s intriguing him, you see he has his head turned to the side, and his mouth is open,” she explained. “And you could read the expression on his face. Because he listens sensitively.”

The emotional toll is evident. “When he’s frustrated, he cries. He cries a lot, I guess, because he tries to talk sometimes,” Sheriann said.

She expressed deep appreciation for the community’s continued support: “I feel the love from his fans. I just want to thank everybody for their prayers and everything. Because that does help him.”

Apparicio emphasized that long-term medical care creates significant financial strain on families and urged generous community participation. All funds raised will go directly toward Quinn’s ongoing care and recovery needs.

Donations can be made at the walk or arranged in advance by contacting Apparicio for pickup. FNL Shipping is providing glow sticks for the event.

The walk begins at 6 p.m. on January 31st at Yasco Sports Complex.