WESTFIELD—From TS to TV, Dave Tango never forgets where he’s from.
Sure he’s a Jersey guy. But that isn’t the only thing that brought him and his cast mates to Westfield. The cast of Sci Fi’s hit show Ghost Hunters came out to support the 28,000 New Jersey children with Tourette Syndrome (TS).
Kris Williams and Dave Tango, cast members of the popular Sci Fi Channel show Ghost Hunters, recently appeared at a Westfield event to bring positive attention to Tourette Syndrome. (Photo courtesy of New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome)
Dave and his father, Bruce Tango, know what it’s like for children and families trying to cope with this often misunderstood neurological disorder. Dave was diagnosed in childhood and their journey prompted Bruce to organize and lead a recent fundraiser to benefit the Tourette Syndrome Association of New Jersey. They speak about the challenges they faced candidly in the hopes of comforting those who find themselves facing a new diagnosis.
Dave brought his Ghost Hunters cast mates Steve Gonsalves, Jason Haws, Grant Wilson and Kris Williams to Westfield to raise awareness of TS and the work of TSANJ an the New Jersey Center for Tourette Syndrome (NJCTS).
NJCTS is grateful to Bruce, Dave and the entire Ghost Hunters cast. Despite a busy production schedule, Dave has gone out of his way to bring positive attention to Tourette Syndrome.
“To have the support of such a high-profile group is outstanding,” said NJCTS Executive Director Faith Rice, “Dave’s story is so inspiring, and it means so much for kids with TS to have someone to look up to and know that you can go on to lead an exciting and successful life while managing TS.”
Dave’s inspirational story is not lost on the children involved with TSANJ even though they seem to prefer spending more time talking about his career as a paranormal investigator.
“It just proves that life goes on beyond TS, and it’s good for the 1 in 200 New Jersey children with TS to see someone with this disorder live a life not controlled by tics. It’s even better for the world to have to accept an understanding of TS that defies stereotypes,” said Rice.
TSANJ and NJCTS lead the nation in services for TS families, medical professionals and educators. To learn more about TS, or to find out how NJCTS is working in your community, visit www.njcts.org.