Carmen Scialabba was a fighter in more ways than one.

The 1953 Butler graduate and former professional boxer died a few weeks ago at age 76.

We could all learn a lot from that man's life.

Scialabba was 6-3-1 as a pro fighter, was never knocked out nor ever knocked anybody out. He was a ring technician on the cusp of stepping up in class.

Having already fought at such venues as Maple Leaf Stadium in Toronto, Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo and fabled Madison Square Garden, Scialabba had only lost to fighters with records of 7-1 and 8-0, one by unanimous decision, the other by points.

He stepped into the ring against Johnny Bizzarro, who was a sparkling 29-3-1, in February of 1961 and lost an eight-round decision on points.

Even in defeat, Scialabba's boxing career seemed primed for the next level.

Only it never happened.

Shortly after that fight, Scialabba was diagnosed with polio and his fight career was over.

Only this man kept on fighting in other ways.

Though he eventually wound up in a wheelchair, Scialabba founded the Pennsylvania Association for Individuals With Disabilities, a non-profit organization designed to promote employment opportunities for the disabled.

He went on to teach history at a high school in the Johnstown area.

He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1966 and received his Master of Arts from Indiana (Pa.) University 15 years later.

Scialabba even tutored young boxers despite his disease.

He received numerous awards during his lifetime, including the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Handicapped Person of the Year Award in 1974.

Simply put, the guy never quit.

He turned a personal tragedy into a lifetime of serving others.

He was never bitter about a promising boxing career cut short, saying in a Butler Eagle article years later that “it just wasn't meant to be.”

While Scialabba taught history in the classroom, he taught others how to live life by the way he lived his.

Pardon the pun, but he rolled with the punches.

One thing was taken away from him, he made use of something else.

Life is all about adjustments. If you're tossed a curve ball at some point, just go with it.

Scialabba could have easily drifted off by himself, living in self-pity after having his athletic career stripped away so cruelly.

No one could have blamed him.

Instead, he gave us all a life worth making a positive example of.

Live life with passion and compassion.

That was Carmen's way.

John Enrietto is sports editor of the Butler Eagle