Sebastian DeFrancesco
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Birth name | Sebastian Anthony DeFrancesco | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | October 15, 1953 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | August 29, 2023 (aged 69) Palo Alto, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of Massachusetts Cabrillo College | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Para-athletics Table tennis | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability | Quadriplegic[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Disability class | C1[2] C5/6[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Sebastian Anthony DeFrancesco (October 15, 1953 – August 29, 2023) was an American paralympic athlete and table tennis player. He competed at the 1984 and 1988 Summer Paralympics.
Life and career
DeFrancesco was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Joseph DeFrancesco and Marion Appuliese.[4] He attended the University of Massachusetts and Cabrillo College.[5] He served in the United States Army Special Forces during the Vietnam War.[2][3] During his military service, he was injured in a military jeep crash in Italy, which left his legs and torso paralyzed.[1]
DeFrancesco competed at the 1984 Summer Paralympics, winning the bronze medal in the men's slalom 1A event in athletics.[6] He also competed at the 1988 Summer Paralympics, winning the bronze medal in the men's teams 1A event in table tennis.[7] After competing at the Paralympics, he worked as a sports and recreation director for the Disabled New England Paralyzed Association in 1995.[8]
Death
DeFrancesco died on August 29, 2023, in Palo Alto, California, at the age of 69.[5]
References
- ^ a b Lehman, Besty (July 19, 1993). "They're up for challenge". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. p. 25. Retrieved June 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Parks, Brad (June 22, 1995). "Now he's a table settler: Organizer DeFrancesco plays a gallant match". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. p. 46. Retrieved June 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
DeFrancesco played in Class 1 in table tennis
- ^ a b Ranii, Cindy Hall (June 1, 2017). "Sebastian DeFrancesco: Out of the Rabbit Hole, Into the Light". New Mobility. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ "Sebastian Anthony DeFrancesco". Tribute Archive. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
- ^ a b "Sebastian Anthony DeFrancesco". Santa Cruz Sentinel. September 6, 2023. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
- ^ "Stoke Mandeville New York 1984 Results". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
- ^ "Seoul 1988 Paralympic Games Results". International Paralympic Committee. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
- ^ "Milton athlete Olympic hopeful". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. January 1, 1995. p. 22. Retrieved June 22, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.