My name is Nick Di Brizzi and I am the President and Founder of the Breathe Like A Boss Foundation. I was born with Cystic Fibrosis and am a post double transplant as well as a kidney transplant recipients.  I am here to tell you first hand that exercise is a huge element to keeping a person with a respiratory ailment healthy, and helping them achieve maximum lung capacity. I, myself, am alive today for that exact reason.

     Although I was diagnosed as a baby in the early 80's with Cystic Fibrosis I lived a very active life.  Thankfully, my parents involved me in competitive sports and exercise at a very early age.  My older brothers and I were involved in Boxing, Taekwondo, Soccer, Tennis, and Basketball. My parents never allowed me to make excuses because of my Cystic Fibrosis and other health ailments.  They wanted me to stay as healthy and as active as possible.

       Then as I became an adult I continued to stay active in sports & boxing.  After progressively declining with my health and finally relying on supplemental oxygen 24/7 I started to do respiratory rehab.  At no point in my life did I ever completely stop exercising, but it did get extremely difficult. At a 10% fev1 lung function and 5% fef 25-75, I had to get on the transplant list in order to survive. Then on October 17th, 2015, I successfully received my double lung transplant.  Then about 5 years after my lung transplant, I went into Kidney Failure. After about a year of dialysis, I received a living donor kidney transplant from my brother and board member, Dominic Di Brizzi.

       Since then I have been an active member of Team Illinois for the Transplant Games of America. Fitness, Sports, resiliency, meditation, martial arts, the gym, and breathing exercises is what has been working for me.  Now, I want to share my success with others that are going through the same difficulties I went through.

      On that October day when I received that miracle of a new life, I made a promise to my donor. I promised if I survived, I would dedicate my life to helping others. That is why I am here today. That is why I have started this non-profit to help so many others like myself achieve a successful and healthy lifestyle through fitness and exercise.  However, I also know how expensive this can be.  Our goal is to help with those costs and keep you focused on only one goal. Staying Healthy both physically and mentally.

The Breathe Like A Boss Foundation will be CHANGING LIVES THROUGH EXERCISE, ONE BREATH AT A TIME!!