Brian Paonessa & FFN: Bringing Attention To The New American Heroes

Brian Paonessa's need to enriches lives has always been at the forefront of everything he does. He started his career in the fitness industry, helping his clients transform into their healthiest selves, but always felt like life had more in store for him, stating, “I heard a whisper that told me the time to make it happen was now, so I went after it.” Although he worked in gyms and wellness centers in some of New York’s most notable neighborhoods, he wanted to take the next step in the health field; going down the path of becoming a nurse.

He registered for classes at Trocaire College in Buffalo and returned to, Niagara, NY, his hometown; taking the first step in what would be the most important journey of his career: finding Fit Functional Nurses (FFN). “I made the switch, took that leap of faith, and went with it,” says Paonessa.

The Many Trials of Nursing School

Paonessa’s time in nursing school was met with many trials and tribulations, but he was determined to push through. He worked three jobs on top of his educational obligations, teaching a fitness/spinning class at 5 am before classes and working for his friend’s snow plowing business. Working multiple jobs got Paonessa through three semesters of nursing school before he ended up failing an academic term, forcing him to…