Therese Ashie from Parma, Ohio was selected as the winner of a Ronnie James Dio "This Is Your Life" cover art poster, which was signed by the artists who performed on the tribute album. Only a dozen or so of these autographed posters are known to exist. Wendy Dio, the wife/manager of legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio, gave away the poster during a live interview on WJCU's "Metal On Metal" radio show on March 28. Therese was tuned in listening to the show that night.Produced by Wendy Dio, the album includes contributions by such metal heavyweights as METALLICA, MOTÖRHEAD, SCORPIONS, ANTHRAX and Rob Halford, as well as appearances by many of the musicians who performed with Dio over the years. 100% of proceeds from the album go to Wendy's Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund.Ironically, Therese's husband became inflicted with small cell lung cancer and passed away in 2000. She cared for him at home during the final months of his life. The couple had two sons ages 8 and 11. The incident changed her life. Shortly after her husband's passing, Therese left her job as an elementary school teacher and pursued a career to work at a hospice. She never imagined walking away from all the years she had put into teaching but felt inspirationally driven to do so. She wanted to give something back by helping people and families go through what she did with her husband. Therese is currently employed as an Education Nurse at Crossroads Hospice in Valley View, Ohio. "She is a wonderful person with an incredibly caring and giving heart", says "Metal On Metal" show host Bill Peters. "It is so cool one of my listeners like Therese won this prize. It was an honor to meet her. It's such a touching story. Hearing about her losing her husband at such a young age and the sacrifices she made literally brought tears to my eyes. It was a very emotional experience. I had no idea this had happened to her when I delivered the poster to her at the hospice she worked. Wendy Dio will be contacting her to congratulate and offer some inspiring words too. "There is a spot in heaven reserved for this woman. God bless you, Therese!"Ronnie James Dio is one of the most beloved figures in rock history. His gifts, both as a singer and songwriter, are instantly recognizable, whether he was with RAINBOW, BLACK SABBATH, HEAVEN & HELL or leading DIO. Sadly, Dio lost his battle with stomach cancer in 2010 but his towering voice and legacy live on."Metal On Metal", hosted by Bill Peters, can be heard live every Friday night from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST on WJCU at 88.7 FM in the Cleveland, Ohio area or streamed worldwide via the Internet at www.wjcu.org. The show is in its 32nd year of broadcasting.
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