"She was very emotional," Martelli said. "She said, 'Do you think you could visit him at Magee [Rehabilitation Hospital]? It would really mean a lot.' "
Why did she call Martelli? Well, Leti lives in Plymouth Meeting, a block from Norristown. Everybody she knew there knew Phil Martelli, who once lived in Norristown and coached there at Bishop Kenrick. Her friends figured they must be related. They are not.
"Prior to the accident, my friends always asked me if I was related to Phil Martelli," Leti said. "Then, someone at Magee had asked Lenny if he was related to Phil Martelli. He said, 'It would be kind of cool if I just met him.' At that time, I would have done anything to make that kid happy with everything he was going through."
So, she made that call.
"Never did I expect him to come visit Lenny in the hospital and bring him shirts and hats and talk to him," Leti said.
And the day he was there, Leti remembered Phil saying, "I want you to work hard and promise me you'll walk out on the court with me one day."
Tonight, Lenny Martelli will be in the St. Joe's locker room before the Hawks game with Xavier at Hagan Arena. And when Phil Martelli walks out into the arena 2 minutes before the game, Lenny Martelli, after another Magee miracle, will be walking next to him.
Lenny is back in school at Pope John Paul II High in Royersford. Tonight will be 1 year and 1 day since the accident.
Martelli's encouragement was just the right push for Lenny.
"That definitely helped out a bunch coming from a coach because I was an athlete," Lenny said. "It meant more coming from a coach than it would a doctor or somebody I didn't want to pay attention to because I was so involved with wanting to just get better. Hearing it from a coach was definitely motivational."
His mom never stopped believing.
"I never accepted that my son would never walk again," Leti said.
