BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — A Buffalo Tuesday pairs perfectly with food trucks and live music. But, the musicians at this Food Truck Tuesday at Larkinville aren't supposed to be performing, this Tuesday.
“He's got a heart the size of Buffalo,” Vin DeRosa, a Buffalo musician.
DeRosa and the bandXOXO Pop Band are taking the place of Michael DiSanto’s duo. They say, DiSanto is a friend to most in the Buffalo music scene.
“Mike does a great job of putting smiles on people's faces when they least expect it,” said CJ Kacala, the percussionist with XOXO Pop Band.
DiSanto isn't at Larkin Square because last week, he suffered a stroke.
The full-time musician is in rough shape. The stroke effected his left side. That’s his fret hand.
“I think about losing my fretting hand as a guitar player and what that would do to deplete my spirit, I'm praying for mike right now,” said DeRosa.
His friends are doing more than just praying, they're playing. All of his sets that he booked are being picked up by his friend's bands.
“We're not going to take any pay. We're going to give it all right back to his recovery,” said Jessika Schreiber with XOXO Pop Band.
The recovery will be costly. DiSanto doesn't have health insurance.
“It's like a snowstorm. Let's deal with this,” said DeRosa about Buffalo coming to DiSanto’s aid.
So, at every would-be-Mike DiSanto gig, the bands asks for donations.
“We want to see him get back on his feet and back on the stage as soon as possible,” said Schreiber.
There's also a GoFundMe page. It raised $13,000 in the first day.
