Be Open. Be Brave. Be Kind.

IN THE SPIRIT: Be Open. Be Brave. Be Kind.

By Dennis House

“Be open. Be brave. Be kind.” Those were words spoken by Denise D’Ascenzo, my late dear friend and co-anchor, as she delivered the commencement address at Quinnipiac University a few years before she passed away. They are the guiding principles of the foundation created in her memory, of which I am honored to serve as president. 

The Denise D’Ascenzo Foundation was the founded by her husband Wayne Cooke and daughter Kathryn, along with my wife, Kara Sundlun, who serves as vice president. To date, we have raised and given away more than half a million dollars to various causes. We have four fundraising events every year. Each fall, we have the Human Spirit Awards Dinner, which honors people from Connecticut who faced enormous struggles and have persevered to give back to Connecticut, society and the world to improve the lives of others.

Among those we have honored in years past are Nelba Marquez-Greene, who lost her daughter Ana Grace; former State Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr, who lost a leg to cancer at age 12; and the Bristol Police Department because of the courage they showed after losing two of their officers in an ambush. Each recipient is carefully chosen; this year is no exception. Those receiving the DDF Human Spirit Award this year include the Late Rabbi Philip Lazowski, a Holocaust survivor; Ali Truwitt, who lost a leg in a shark attack’ and Carrie and Steven Roux, whose son Luke was killed by a drunk driver. 

Their stories, along with the other recipients’, are compelling and inspiring. Those who attended the event have told me they left with a better understanding of the challenges so many in our community face. They left vowing to do more to help others. That is the goal of the Denise D’Ascenzo Foundation. 

We also present the Kindness Award. The first went to former Hartford Deputy Fire Chief Dan Nolan, who tirelessly volunteered his time with charities and community events. He also served in the National Guard overseas and worked helping New York firefighters at Ground Zero after 9/11. 

In 2025, we honored Tom Baklik, a barber from the Naugatuck Valley who celebrates the spirit of giving by organizing a massive toy drive and Christmas breakfast for the less fortunate.

This year, we are honoring Andrea Hurley, who spends countless hours bringing cheer and support to patients at Connecticut Children’s. These beautiful youngsters fighting difficult battles rely on her to make their days brighter and to encourage them on their darkest, most challenging days.

The Human Spirit Awards are a group effort. Journalists from all four Connecticut television stations nominate worthy recipients they’ve met during their reporting. 

I invite you to join us as we carry out Denise’s legacy. For more information on how to attend the Human Spirit Awards Dinner on November 7 at the Hartford Marriott or to support the foundation, visit thedenisefoundation.com.

Dennis House has been covering the news in Connecticut for over 30 years. He can be seen weeknights at 6 and 11 p.m. on WTNH and at 10 p.m. on WCTX. He also hosts This Week in Connecticut Sunday mornings at 10 a.m.