ANSEL LURIO

LURIO--Ansel. Ansel Lurio, 38, disability advocate and subject of "Moonrise," died of heart failure Tuesday, September 27. Ansel was a vibrant part of his Yonkers waterfront neighborhood and of the Dobbs Ferry community where he grew up. At age 3, he was diagnosed with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, a devastating disease that destroys muscle tissue and causes early death. He used a wheelchair from age 11. Despite his disability Ansel flourished. He was quick-witted and stubborn, loved reading, listening to jazz, eating and cooking. He attended Columbia, where he DJed at WKCR and played clarinet in the marching band. Later he completed a master's degree at the Cooperstown Graduate Program, after which he was employed by Historic House Trust of NYC and by the Confucius Institute at Pace University. When his mother published a book about him, Ansel enthusiastically participated in her readings. He was the model for Archie in the Broadway musical and movie 13. A fierce disability advocate, Ansel consulted at both the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and at Wave Hill in the Bronx. He was on the board of Westchester Disabled on The Move and was a litigant in the current class action lawsuit against Lyft. Ansel will be missed by many who admired his spirit and humor. He will be mourned especially by his mother Penny Wolfson and father Joseph Lurio, his sisters Tobi and Diana; cousins, aunts, uncles, a niece and brother-in-law. He lived a great life and was a shining light for all.