Ellie Pasacreta

Double Threat: Esposito in front of CappuGino´s in between work shifts at Milford Vascular Institute, February 26, 2024.

          For the past decade, the Foran community has known David Esposito as the wrestling coach but in Milford, his impact goes even further. 

          Even from a young age Esposito knew what he wanted his future to look like. 

          “I don’t know why but I always wanted to be a heart surgeon. I wanted to go to Yale and be a heart surgeon. That’s the only thing I ever wanted to do my whole life and I never really waived from that.” 

          After graduating from Yale at the top of his class and completing medical school at Duke University and medical training in Chicago and North Carolina, Esposito opened his own practice, Milford Vascular Institute, in 2002. He works as a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon operating on people’s hearts and blood vessels. 

          While working as a heart surgeon Esposito was also taking care of his seven kids. From football to wrestling Esposito always had an active role in coaching their sports even as Gino Esposito, Esposito’s middle son, continued on with wrestling throughout highschool. 

          Esposito says, “Wrestling is a different sport then any other sport there is. It’s very very hard. There’s no egos in wrestling. You get your butt whooped every day.  It’s very rewarding because you do difficult things, not for recognition but because you get a lot out of it mentally. It makes you tough and that’s what I like about it.” [email protected]

          With Foran’s team in need of a coaching staff and more athletes, Esposito stepped up to help as he became the assistant coach in 2012. From there Esposito worked to better the athletes and become the head coach beyond G. Esposito’s time in high school.

          Even though Esposito didn’t plan to become a wrestling coach, he fell in love with coaching and is able to make an impact on his athletes everyday. 

          Junior Tony Aspras, a member of the wrestling team says, “Espo pushes me to be better than I was the day before. He is big on effort and a big believer in getting results by putting in work. He teaches discipline not only in wrestling but in life as well and he believes you should do the best you can in everything you do.”

          As if being a heart surgeon and a wrestling coach was not enough, Esposito’s mentality of not wasting time allowed him to open up CappuGinos with his family during the pandemic. 

          CappuGinos goal is to give back to the community by hiring local high school and college kids while also giving back to charitable organizations. 

          When reflecting on Esposito, Co-Owner and sister to Esposito, Julie Johnson says, “We have always been close, but working as a team, building a business has been a great experience. David is the smartest down-to-earth person you will ever meet. He is kind, personable, and always makes people feel comfortable in his presence. He is also one of the hardest working people I know, juggling so many different things at once and crushing all of them.”

          With a positive mindset Esposito works hard each and everyday to make a difference in his community and put forth his best effort.

          Esposito says, “You could always sleep less. If there are hours in a day I try to fill them. I think people assume that there are limits but, I just go by the mantra that there are no limits. I said a long time ago that I would just basically say yes to everything. Once you get tied into that mindset things become pretty easy. I think it’s when you worry about stuff it becomes hard.”

          Whether he is at Milford Vascular Institute, CappuGinos, or wrestling practice Esposito always works to fill his time and give his full effort.