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To honor of National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day, one local woman has spearheaded a county-wide event to honor and remember the little lives lost. 

Elizabeth Kennedy, of Rocky Point, shared her story nearly two years ago with Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai), sparking the Suffolk County Legislature to unanimously approve a resolution, and designate Oct. 15 as “Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Awareness Day” back in 2020.

Sponsored by Anker, it was introduced to increase awareness of the causes and impacts surrounding pregnancy and infant loss and to improve understanding, support and potential resources for those who grieve the loss of a pregnancy or an infant.

Kennedy lost her second child, who was named Grace, when she was 26 weeks and six days pregnant on Feb. 25, 2018. 

Struck with grief she felt that she needed to find an outlet to help her cope with her loss, so she began researching different infant loss support groups. Through her online search, she found the Star Legacy Foundation — a national organization whose mission is to increase awareness, support research, promote education and encourage advocacy and family support regarding stillbirth, pregnancy loss, and neonatal death.

After helping to organize a virtual candle lighting — called the “Wave of Light” — on Zoom to show respect for families and loved ones who have experienced loss last year, she and her fellow organizers decided to host an in-person event for 2021 at Heritage Park on Friday.

At 6:45 p.m. on Oct. 15, families can gather to mourn together and share their stories for an in-person Wave of Light event at Heritage Park, located at the park’s main building, 633 Mount Sinai-Coram Road in Mount Sinai. Candles will be lit at 7 p.m. 

“If there are people out there who haven’t wanted to find support on their own yet, this could be a way for people to open the door,” Kennedy said. 

According to the Star Foundation, thousands of families in the United States experience pregnancy and infant loss each year. In the United States there are approximately 24,000 stillbirths, or 1 out of 160 births, a year. In addition to stillbirths, current research suggests that between 10% and 20% of medically confirmed pregnancies end in miscarriage. 

As the days grow shorter and temperatures begin to fall we turn our attention to the sights and sounds of autumn. In celebration of the season, the Reboli Center for Art and History presents Autumn Shadows, a beautiful exhibit featuring artwork by Joseph Reboli, Laura Westlake, Vicki Sawyer and more that include some beguiling and bewitching crows and ravens in paintings, drawings, ceramics and jewelry.

The show will run from September 28 to Oct. 31.

Some of Joseph Reboli’s paintings are on loan from private collectors, and are rarely exhibited, providing a great opportunity for Reboli fans to see some of his work for the first time. 

Laura Westlake is a native Long Islander, who grew up in Stony Brook and now lives in Orient with her artist husband, Dominic Di Lorenzo. Having studied at Santa Barbara City College in California and the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, she spent 15 years working in commercial illustration for television, magazine and print ads, portraiture and book illustration. 

Westlake excels in both color pencil and oil paints and has been exhibiting in galleries for over 35 years. Her love of birds and nature complements the work of internationally known artist, Vicki Sawyer, another show participant.

Celebrated for her incredibly imaginative and whimsical art, Vicki Sawyer, former Stony Brook artist and designer, has had two shows at the Reboli Center in recent years. Growing up in farm country, she spent years studying and admiring birds and animals. 

Sawyer works in acrylic and incorporates vegetables, twigs and flowers to adorn her whimsical creatures with hats, necklaces and other decorative accessories. Her paintings are definitely one of a kind. Her notecards, calendars and other home decor items are on sale in the Reboli Design Shop.

Other participating artists include Kevin McEvoy, Linda Giacalone, Laura Peters, Barbara Glynn Prodanuik and more. The Center’s History Room will continue on with an interesting exhibition curated by Tricia Foley, The Legacy of Leslie Marchant, which showcases the life and accomplishments of the accomplished Long Island builder.

“We are thrilled to have such a high caliber of artists participating in Autumn Shadows,” said Lois Reboli, a founder of the Reboli Center. “They each bring a distinct element of talent and creativity that supplement each other’s work.”

The Reboli Center for Art and History is located at 64 Main Street in Stony Brook. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, please call 631-751-7707 or visit www.rebolicenter.org.

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By Jeffrey Sanzel

Summer has long been the mainstay of cinematic superhero releases. Joining this season’s Black Widow and The Suicide Squad is Marvel Studio’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, an enjoyable, if not wholly inspired, two hours.

In the wake of the hit television show Kung Fu, the Shang-Chi character debuted in Special Marvel Edition #15 (December 1973) and starred in a solo title through 1983. Spun-off from author Sax Rohmer’s work, Shang-Chi was the unknown son of Rohmer’s arch-villain, Dr. Fu Manchu. Writer Steve Englehart stated that Shang-Chi’s name came from the study of I-Ching, with “sheng” meaning “ascending” and “chi” vital energy. After Marvel lost the rights to Rohmer’s rogue, the company renamed Shang-Chi’s father, Zheng Zu.

After a nearly five-decade history, and several attempts dating back as early as 1980, Shang-Chi has now made it to the big screen in a colorful, predictable action-adventure.

The film opens over a thousand years ago, with Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung) wielding the ten rings, bands that give extraordinary power to their holder. With his organization, the Ten Rings, behind him, he becomes a warrior-conqueror throughout hundreds of years of history. 

In 1996, he becomes obsessed with locating Ta Lo, a village said to be the home of mythical beasts. He journeys through a magical forest, where the Ta Lo village guardian, Ying Li (Fala Chen), thwarts him. The two fall in love and leave the village, living in peace with their two children. Wenwu’s enemies, the Iron Gang, murder Li, causing Wenwu to resurrect the Ten Rings. He trains his son, Shang-Chi, in martial arts. When Shang-Chi is fourteen years old, his father sends him to avenge his mother’s murder.

The film jumps to present-day San Francisco. Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), now mild-mannered parking valet “Sean,” lives a quiet, unimpressive life, palling around with his best friend, the thrill-seeking Katy (Awkwafina). After an attack by the Ten Rings, Shang-Chi shares his past with Katy, and they journey to Macau in search of Shang-Chi’s sister, Xu Xialing (Meng’er Zhang).

The intersection of legend and legacy, fantasy and family, and the all-important good versus evil follows. Thematically, the writers emphasize the idea that we are all “a product of what came before,” intersecting with the more violent “a blood debt must be paid by blood.” Shang-Chi confronts that he must “face who [he is].” Much of this works because of Simu Liu’s “Who me?” charm growing into a more self-actualized and self-aware individual. With his inherent “watchability” and appealing warmth, he easily carries the film. 

While the supporting roles are underdeveloped, the cast is more than capable. Awkafina makes for an affable sidekick who comes into her own. Leung brings the gravitas with a touch of underlying pain to the patriarch. One wishes that Zhang’s Xialing had been given a bit more dimension as there is a wealth of potential. Her struggle with a sense of childhood abandonment is touched upon but not fully realized. Ben Kingsley reprises Trevor Slattery, a character introduced in the Marvel One Shot short film All Hail the King. Without previous knowledge, this inclusion is a bit off. Kingsley is amusing, especially interacting with the mythical beast, whom he calls “Morris,” but lacking the background, the result is an unfulfilling cameo.

But the true raison d’être of the film is the many action sequences, which range from extraordinary pairings to epic battles. There are enough fights to satisfy the cravings of even the most eager fans. There are battles on a bus, in a fight club, a parking garage, a bar, a field, etc. There is a point where it almost feels like a demented Green Eggs and Ham—“Would you, could you in a …”—and insert a location. But they are all beautifully staged, the more pastoral echoing the landmark Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. 

The CGI is neatly integrated, with a range of hybrid animals and fantastical creations. While, of course, created on a vastly higher level, there are nostalgic shades in the monster encounters, reminiscent of the stop-motion animation of Ray Harryhausen or even the earlier Godzilla movies.

Director Destin Daniel Cretton collaborated on the screenplay with Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham. And while the dialogue is often stiff and declarative (with a handful of shoehorned wisecracks), the film is busy enough to keep propelling forward. With enough plot and lots of action, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings epitomizes summer fare. And, like the majority of the genre, it will most likely be the first of many in the series.

Rated PG-13 the film is now playing in local theaters.

Pet Therapy Dog Molly
There’s a new top dog of Stony Brook University Hospital’s volunteer program. Stony Brook Medicine has awarded Pet Therapy Team Doreen Monteleone and her seven-year-old Labrador partner Molly the 2020 Volunteers of the Year. Doreen and Molly, from West Sayville, joined the hospital volunteer program in March of 2019 and together have donated nearly 200 hours of service since.
Doreen Monteleone and Pet Therapy Dog Molly

Molly came to Stony Brook with an already impressive resume. She is certified by Therapy Dogs International (TDI) and is recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as a Therapy Dog (THD) for her work over the past several years. Besides her visits at Stony Brook University Hospital, Molly is a reading companion for children at a library. Molly is also highly skilled in scent detection. She competes in events that showcase skills similar to bomb or narcotics detection and is currently trialing at the elite level with the National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW). Through AKC, Molly earned obedience titles Beginner Novice (BN) and Companion Dog (CD); and has one leg on her Companion Dog Excellent (CDX) title. AKC has also awarded her the Trick Dog Advanced (TDA), Canine Good Citizen (CGC), AKC Temperament Test (ATT) and Farm Dog Certified (FDC) titles.

Before the pandemic, Doreen and Molly engaged in hospital visits primarily involving Stony Brook’s geriatric patients. Regular visits were arranged by Carolyn O’Neill, NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders), Elder Life Coordinator and Geriatric Educator at Stony Brook Medicine.

“I have heard countless stories on how visits from Molly and Doreen have greatly benefited our patients,” says O’Neill. “Molly has brought so much cheer to those who need it and she has touched the hearts of many at Stony Brook.” Doreen recalls one patient who had a profound reaction to one of Molly’s visits. After having a stroke, a woman would not talk to anyone. That was until Molly came to see her. After the four-legged volunteer left, the patient’s nurse asked, “What did you think of Molly?” The patient responded, “I love that dog!”

Pet Therapy Dog Molly

When COVID-19 suspended Volunteer services and in-person visits, Pia York, Therapeutic Intervention Coordinator at Stony Brook Medicine, took the lead to bring virtual Pet Therapy visits to staff. Rounding with an iPad, Pia with help from recreation therapists Chris Brigante, Diane Dignon and Casey Carrick, visited various units bringing tale wags, virtual kisses and tricks to help relieve the stress. They virtually visited every area of the hospital from the pharmacy on the first floor to the 19th floor.

During these visits, Molly became a celebrity. Her name was mentioned hospital-wide and requests for visits increased ten-fold. In addition to visits, Doreen and Molly creatively used photos to help emphasize the importance of social distancing, proper mask wearing, and hand washing to name a few. Some were even written in Spanish. The photos also contained various inspirational messages for Stony Brook staff as they worked tirelessly to care for patients during the height of the pandemic.

Doreen says she simply wants to share the special joy Molly brings. “She always puts a smile on my face and makes me laugh. Patients and staff would often say that Molly made their day,” says Doreen. “When the COVID crisis hit, I thought about the enormous stress and uncertainty at the hospital. Continuing our visits remotely to raise spirits was the least I could do.”

Molly is also a bit of a celebrity outside of Stony Brook. She can be seen running with a little girl at the end of the current Primatene Mist commercial.

To learn more about Pet Therapy at Stony Brook Medicine, visit https://www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/patientcare/hospital-volunteers/pet-therapy

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Pentimento in Stony Brook Village Center File photo by Rita J. Egan

A 27-year-old staple in Stony Brook Village Center will not be around once the autumn weather arrives.

On July 29, the owners of Pentimento Restaurant posted to their Facebook page that they are unable to extend the term of their lease. The business, which added a small market to its restaurant during the pandemic, is set to close its doors Sept. 30.

“We thank our loyal patrons and our wonderful staff for all the support they have given us over the past 27 years,” the Facebook post stated.

Owner Dennis Young and restaurant manager Lisa Cusumano said in a phone interview they were saddened by the decision made by Eagle Realty Holdings and said despite suggestions to relocate and even considering it at first in their Facebook post, overall, it doesn’t make sense.

“A lot of people have called us and said you could move here, or we could have this spot or that spot but Pentimento belongs in the village,” Cusumano said, adding that Young invested a good amount of money into the business nine years ago when he renovated the place.

Young echoed the sentiment.

“We thought about relocating and looked at some places, but I think Pentimento belongs where it is,” the owner said. “It’s not going to be Pentimento otherwise.”

Young said he was supposed to request an extension of the lease, which expires at the end of September, last year. He said while trying to keep the restaurant afloat during the pandemic, renewing slipped his mind. Both Young and Cusumano said they didn’t receive any reminder from the landlord to notify them about their intent to extend the lease.

“We weren’t thinking about [the lease] because we were just trying to survive, to stay safe and  out of the hospital and to help the community,” Cusumano said. “We didn’t even know there would be a restaurant. Restaurants were closing left and right.”

According to Gloria Rocchio, president of Eagle Realty Holdings, tenants “must notify the landlord in writing of their intention to exercise the option to extend the lease term 365 days before the expiration of the existing lease.”

While Young is thinking about retiring in the near future, he said friends were interested in buying the business and keeping Pentimento as it is. They also planned to keep Young and Cusumano employed with them. However, their offer was denied by the landlord, according to Young.

Rocchio said that nothing is final yet due to a holding process and all other interested candidates needing to be interviewed to find the best tenant.

“The whole thing of other people buying it would be to keep the legacy and to keep Pentimento for the community, because we love the community and we know that the community depends on us,” Cusumano said.

Rocchio said in a statement on behalf of the realty company’s board of trustees that in addition to not receiving notice about Young’s intention to renew the lease, the tenant failed “to comply with the requirement to maintain the septic system” which is described in the lease.

Young said he couldn’t comment much on the septic system.

“There is a problem,” he said. “We have had extremely high costs to maintain the cesspool system, and it’s been a problem that’s not been resolved.”

Cusumano said they have maintained the property properly the whole time they have occupied the building.

“Over two years ago the tenant advised the landlord of their intention to sell the business and retire,” Rocchio said in the statement. “Recently the tenant informed the landlord they had a potential buyer and wanted an extension of the lease. The tenant asked for a much longer lease extension than is indicated in the present option to renew. The septic system issue must be resolved before a lease extension can even be discussed. The existing tenant to our knowledge has no intention to stay. So, we told the existing tenant we would interview their buyer and other candidates. That’s what was done. This is the present status.”

In response to Pentimento’s announcement that the restaurant is closing, restaurant patrons took to social media to express their dismay and showed support for the business.

Young and Cusumano said they have been overwhelmed by the response. While critics have posted on the restaurant’s Facebook accounts criticism of the landlord, the owners have only used their social media postings to inform the community of the closing and encourage customers to use gift cards previously purchased.

“Dennis and I are completely overwhelmed by the community support,” Cusumano said. “We had no idea that that many people would reach out and try to save this restaurant. It’s just unbelievable.”

Greenley Modica

Over the summer, Huntington resident Rachel Master and Setauket based teen Greenley Modica joined forces with Hewlett based Hindi’s Libraries to run book drives in their communities.

Rachel Master

Master and her family dropped off more than 700 books at the Hindi’s Libraries Lemonade 4 Literacy event this Tuesday (which raised more than $200 to help subsidize the organization’s book shipments).

Modica, whose neighborhood collection took place from March through May collected more than 2,000 children’s and young adult reads.
Books will now be reviewed, sorted and labeled by Hindi’s Libraries volunteers and shipped to nonprofits across the globe serving families and children in need.
“The best emails and  calls to get are those from local teens and families looking to support us in unique and creative ways. It allows our team the chance to give members of our community the opportunity to form a meaningful connection to our nonprofit,” explained Leslie Gang, Hindi’s Libraries cofounders.
To run a book drive in your community or learn how you can support the nonprofit, visit www.hindislibraries.com

Hindi’s Libraries is an international non-profit organization founded in 2018 in memory of Dr. Hindi Krinsky, beloved educator and mother who passed away due to a complication of Crohn’s Disease. Our organization was formed by Dovid Kanarfogel, Hindi’s husband, and Leslie Gang, a former colleague, in order to honor Hindi’s legacy by donating children’s books to families in need or with special needs who can benefit greatly from free reading material. Since our founding, we have donated over 200,000 books to more than 500 organizations spanning across the United States and international communities in Puerto Rico, Africa, India, and Israel. By continuing our work, we hope to spread literacy to children around the world and provide those less fortunate with access to books, at no cost. 

A former St. James resident, who is remembered for saving an 8-year-old plow horse from a slaughterhouse and turning him into a champion, died June 25 in Stanardsville, Virginia, at the age of 93.

Harry de Leyer’s work and the bond with the horse named Snowman was documented in the 2011 book “The Eighty-Dollar Champion” by Elizabeth Letts and the 2016 film “Harry & Snowman” where the skill and heart of both were celebrated.

The well-known tale of him and Snowman, who was also known as “The Cinderella Horse,” began in 1956 when he saved the animal from a slaughterhouse in Pennsylvania for $80. De Leyer was late for a horse auction, but when he saw one of the last horses he knew the animal had potential to train young riders at The Knox School in Nissequogue where he worked.

“I came to this country with nothing in my pocket. Then I met Snowman and he made my name in this country.”

— Harry de Leyer

The equestrian and horse trainer would go on to turn the worn-out workhorse into the winner of the United States Equestrian Federation Horse of the Year in 1958 and land the “triple crown” of show jumping in the same year. Snowman also made history in 1959 as the first horse to win the Open Jumper Championship two years in a row. In 1983, de Leyer went on to represent the United States at the World Championships.

“I came to this country with nothing in my pocket,” de Leyer said in the 2016 documentary film. “Then I met Snowman and he made my name in this country.”

In the documentary, de Leyer talks about the time he attempted to sell Snowman to a doctor who lived a few miles away. A couple of days later, Snowman showed up at de Leyer’s property. The horse trainer thought the doctor may have left a gate open, but the new owner said that Snowman had jumped the gate. A few days later, after the doctor heightened the gate, Snowman once again came back to de Leyer. It was then the trainer realized the horse’s jumping potential and bought him back.

De Leyer was born in 1927 in Sint-Oedenrode, Netherlands, according to his obituary from Moloney Funeral Home. He was the oldest of 13 children, and his family was part of the underground during World War II and helped many Jews escape the Nazis through the Netherlands. De Leyer and his first wife, Johanna, came to America after de Leyer’s family sent the dog tags of a deceased soldier that they never met home to his parents.

He and Johanna were sponsored by the soldier’s family when they arrived the United States. His first job in the country was working on his sponsor’s farm in North Carolina where his talents for training and jumping horses were recognized.

Soon after they arrived in America, the couple headed for Long Island and raised eight children in St. James. In the 1970s de Leyer and Johanna divorced. Later in life, he had a farm in East Hampton and then moved to Virginia. He also married again to his second wife, Joan.

While living in St. James, in addition to being the riding instructor at The Knox School, he also gave lessons at his St. James home, Hollandia Farms.

After his passing, The Knox School posted on its Facebook page.

“Mr. de Leyer came to Knox in 1954 and was a beloved trainer and member of the school community,” the post read. “His legacy lives on in the hearts of those who remember how Mr. de Leyer saved Snowman from slaughter and turned a gentle giant of a plow horse into a champion jumper.”

The post announced that a stall in the school’s historic equestrian center will be dedicated to the memory of Harry and Snowman in the future.

Jackie Bittner, owner of Hidden Lake Farm Riding School in Southold, attended The Knox School for four years and took riding lessons from de Leyer. She said she was fortunate to keep in touch with him through the years and considered him a best friend. As a trainer, Bittner said, de Leyer was strict.

“Rightfully so,” she said. “He really wanted you to do the right thing and to be a good rider. He tried to make everyone a good rider.”

She said sometimes she would doubt if she was able to do a trick on a horse.

“He asked you to do all kinds of things, and I say, ‘Oh, I don’t know,’ but you would do whatever he asked with the horse, because he was just the type of person that you wanted to please.”

Janis Lando remembers taking lessons from him at Hollandia Farm when she lived in Smithtown.

“I rode as an early teen and remembered flying over fences without hands on the reins,” she said. “He believed in the soft-mouth approach and more control with one’s legs. I also recall him slipping a quarter under the knee, and he expected you to hold it there as you rode.”

When Laurette Berry was 13 years old and her family first moved from Manhattan to Stony Brook, she said her father signed up her and her siblings for lessons with de Leyer after a neighbor recommended him.

“The very first lesson we were jumping,” she said. “We had never been on a horse before in our lives. With Harry, you either were a daredevil or he wasn’t interested.”

“You were sitting on the horse’s back, but he was in full control of them. He was such a good trainer, and the horses just did whatever he wanted them to do.”

— Laurette Berry

After a few lessons, their father decided to go to another trainer as he was afraid his children would get hurt, but Berry remembers how in control de Leyer was of his horses during the short time she trained with him.

“He was like the ringleader in a circus where the animals just went,” she said. “You were sitting on the horse’s back, but he was in full control of them. He was such a good trainer, and the horses just did whatever he wanted them to do.”

A few years later, Berry became involved in the Smithtown Hunt Club where she encountered de Leyer once again. The club would conduct hunts all over Suffolk County from St. James, Old Field and even in the Hamptons. She remembered one time during a hunt being in the water in Head of the Harbor and seeing pieces of ice. She said de Leyer forged ahead as he did in other hunts as he wasn’t afraid of anything.

Barbara Clarke, of Bridgehampton, also was involved in the foxhunts with de Leyer in the ’70s.

“He was always enthusiastic and brought a lot of riders with him,” she said. “He loved it. He loved nothing better than following a pack of hounds through the woods.”

Clarke remembered de Leyer from when her sister-in-law Janice attended The Knox School, and Clarke would go to some of the horse shows to see the students compete, including at Madison Square Garden. She said he always made sure the girls were safe on the horses and described him as the “Pied Piper.”

De Leyer is predeceased by Johanna and Joan and his sons Joseph, Harry Jr. and William de Leyer. He is survived by his children Harriet de Leyer, Martin and Debbie de Leyer, Andre and Christine de Leyer, John and Maria de Leyer and AnnMarie de Leyer as well as his grandchildren Charissa, Cassandra, Johnathon, Kyle, Jason, Travis, Dylan, Michaela, Andre, Johanna, Emma, Philip, Heather, Jeffery and Shane; great-grandchildren Brayden and Addison and great-great-grandchild William Harry.

Photo from Mike Finnican

“What happened on September 11, is something that will be with me for every day of my life yet we know somehow we’ll pass through it. Time goes on. But it reminds us of the sole appreciation that we have always had for our family, our friends, our community and our country. He will be missed forever.” 

These were the words of Helga Curtin on Nov. 20, 2001, to identify the unique character of her late husband, Michael Sean Curtin, who was a sergeant major in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and a member of the New York City Emergency Services Unit. 

Photo from the 3256 Foundation

On 9/11, Mike Curtin wished his wife a happy birthday, sent flowers to her job and expected to arrive back at their Medford home where he was planning to make her a special dinner. On this beautiful late summer day, the United States was attacked by terrorists and, like many other rescue workers, he answered the call to help others survive this tragic date.  

As an Emergency Services Unit sergeant, Curtin was no stranger to handling delicate situations. Being a member of a strong city law enforcement agency, it was common for him to deal with a myriad of responsibilities. 

He was well versed in leading hostage negotiations, administering first aid, facing suicide attempts and helping others through challenging rescues of citizens. He had significant experience through the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. It was observed that he spent a great deal of time working with law and government officials during this early terrorism attack on the city. 

Always seen as a “squared away” leader through his time in the military, his presence was always felt during every type of incident, including Osama bin Laden’s first attempt to destroy this financial center.

Oklahoma City bombing and Harlem rescue

Two years later, he was ordered after the Oklahoma City bombing to assist within recovery efforts at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in that city. This building was devastated from domestic terrorism, where 168 people were killed, including six members of the Armed Forces. 

During this support, Curtin saw the red “blood stripe” of one of the two members of the Marine Corps that were lost in this debris. 

Randy Guzman was a Marine captain who worked in the recruiting station that was located on the sixth floor of this building. Curtin noticed his remains and right away asked for permission to detach fellow law enforcement and military figures to help him dig through the rubble to properly recover the remains of Guzman.  

For several hours, Curtin led this difficult task of using heavy machinery to reach this deceased Marine. Curtin was a combat veteran of the first Gulf War who was with the American spearhead to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi military. 

Photo from the 3256 Foundation

He still served in the Marine Corps Reserves, where he had the senior leadership rank of first sergeant. Once Curtin and his men reached Guzman, this loud work site, automatically became quiet, as the body was carried out with an American flag placed over the fallen Marine. 

Rarely speaking about his job, Curtin recalled this somber moment and said, “Everyone was watching in silence as we brought our Marine out.” 

The following year, members of the Guzman family and New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) took a picture with Curtin to show appreciation for his determination and skills to assist the residents of Oklahoma City impacted by this explosion.

A good friend who worked closely with Curtin to handle the immense tasks of the Emergency Services is retired Lt. Owen McCaffrey of Bay Shore. This officer was Curtin’s supervisor of Truck 2 in Harlem that helped cover nine precincts from 86th Street to Washington Heights within Upper Manhattan. 

Thinking of his good friend, McCaffrey believed that Curtin was one of the finest sergeants within the New York City Police Department to lead his men. To this day, McCaffrey vividly remembers the positive attributes of Curtin as being a “devoted, reliable, and trustworthy cop.” 

He saw the positive influence of the Marine Corps on the presence of Curtin who always stressed the importance of training, drilling his men and getting them to quickly think during all types of situations. 

And while this Marine was a tough, no-nonsense individual, Curtin usually cooked his men a breakfast of eggs, bacon and sausage. McCaffrey recalled that Curtin was a “solid supervisor that always looked after his men that were highly trained for their difficult jobs.” 

The bravery that Curtin demonstrated never subsided, and in 1999 he saved a trapped resident of a Harlem building before the structure collapsed.

September 11, 2001

On 9/11, as Curtin was planning to return home for his wife’s birthday, America was attacked. As our citizens were putting their children on school buses and handling their daily functions, this nation was hit by the sting of terrorism in Manhattan, Washington, D.C., and over the farm fields of Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Right away, rescue workers headed toward the World Trade Center to help people escape the earliest moments of bin Laden’s assault on the United States. Curtin was with several other agency personnel who were quickly dispatched to aid others.

Never one to waver under any form of military or law enforcement duress, he was on hand to guide his men with the goal to save as many people as possible. Through this challenging chaos, Curtin and his fellow officers were in the middle of this attack that saw debris crashing around them, and thousands of people trying to flee from this terror. At 9:59 a.m., the South Tower collapsed, and it became apparent that the North Tower, also hit by an aircraft, would face the same the destruction.  

Photo from Mike Finnican

As some of his men were several floors above him to assist others to escape the North Tower, Curtin directed those officers around him to immediately leave this building before it collapsed, and head for safety. He refused to follow them, as according to McCaffrey, he made the “conscious decision” to stay with those remaining men that were still in this building, even as he realized that this building was going to eventually fall. At 10:28 a.m., officers from Truck 2 who were ordered to leave this location, watched in dismay as the North Tower fell to the ground.  They automatically realized that Curtin had passed away. He was one of 14 Emergency Services and Bomb Squad figures killed from these attacks on New York City.  

Whereas the authorities knew where Curtin was buried in the rubble of Ground Zero, it took until March 6, 2002, to finally locate the remains of this 13-year veteran of the NYPD. His body was not fully removed until Helga Curtin and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly arrived at the location. They were met by an army of rescue workers, law enforcement, salvage crews and government officials who were silent as Curtin was taken out of the debris with a flag placed over his body. Within the early morning hours, the motorcade that held Curtin was heading up FDR Drive in Manhattan. The streets were lined with police officers that stopped the traffic and saluted the remains of Curtin, who was escorted by his wife and local law enforcement and military leadership. Four years after Curtin lost his life with other rescue workers, President George W. Bush (R) posthumously awarded public safety officers the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor for those men and women who died in uniform during these attacks.

When speaking to different members of Curtin’s family, the affection that they have for him has never diminished since he died. This Rocky Point High School student was a strong soccer player who worked at the local statuary on Route 25A. After he graduated in 1975, he enlisted into the Marine Corps. His strong, smart and kind presence is still missed by his entire family from Helga, and his daughters Jennifer, Heather and Erika, also younger loved ones who are immensely proud of his honorable achievements to support this country.

Annual golf outing

Over the last 17 years, Curtin’s cousin Mike Finnican has been instrumental in organizing an annual golf outing that has been held at Cherry Creek in Riverhead. This function’s main goal is to remember Curtin and the numerous rescue workers and military members who have supported this country since 9/11. Finnican reflected on the hospitality of Curtin, especially during a July 4, 2001, barbecue that saw his cousin wear his red, white and blue shorts as he cooked for his family and friends. Some 20 years later, Finnican looked over the fairways and greens at Cherry Creek to see more than 300 people attend a golf outing that was held July 12. Finnican, along with his wife, children, grandchildren and members of the Lukasz, Dwyer and Curtin families, all donated their time to support their 20th successful golf outing. During the day, younger family members and friends wore smiles on their faces to sell raffle tickets and T-shirts for the 3256 Foundation. One of these included Michael Sullivan, the 5-year-old grandson named after Curtin, who was present with his parents and his cousins to support this family tradition.

Mike Curtin’s daughter, Jen Sullivan, with her husband Jon and their children, Michael and Grace. Child on the left is McCormack Baker, grandson of Mike Finnican. Photo from Mike Finnican

Curtin’s custom was to be warm to others, and this week his family and friends continued his legacy in making every participant of this outing feel welcome during a special annual event. Most people who read about the heroic exploits that Curtin presented in the military and the NYPD marvel at the abilities of this local graduate to serve at home and abroad. But this highly capable figure rarely addressed his experience and Finnican stated that Curtin “was a good man that never bragged about his experiences that was absolutely loyal to his family.”  

It is safe to say that Curtin’s name will be remembered for some time through this yearly golf outing. With a color guard and the sounds of bagpipes, laughter and stories that brought smiles to a crowd who listened intently about the professional stories of Curtin, it was easy to tell that everyone who played golf and attended the dinner had a grand time in honoring this hero. At the end of the night, there was a major raffle that saw people win televisions, video games, children’s toys, restaurant gift cards and an auction of sports memorabilia and baseball tickets.  

As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, there will be noticeable grief to remember the almost 3,000 people killed on that fateful day. But the golf outing had a surplus of smiles from the family members of Curtin and those law enforcement and military veterans who look forward to seeing each other to support this worthy endeavor. 

The 3256 Foundation over the last two decades has created an important sense of comradery amongst its participants to never forget the moment that America was attacked. And this would not be possible if it were not for determination of Finnican and his team who have established one of the finest patriotic events in Suffolk County. Like Curtin, his family members are patriots who seek little fanfare, and they are motivated to reflect on a hero who spent his life defending this country in the Marines and always helping others in the NYPD. 

May we never forget about rescue workers like Michael S. Curtin who were the earliest casualties of bin Laden’s attempt to harm the American way of life.

Photo by Julianne Mosher

Famed scientist, inventor and entrepreneur Nikola Tesla would have been 165 this year, and the best way to celebrate his life and legacy was to party at his old lab in Shoreham. 

On Saturday, July 10, hundreds of people gathered at the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe for the Tesla Birthday Expo and Birthday Night Show.

The events featured a number of educational exhibits including many of the local STEAM — science, technology, engineering, arts and math — exhibits, robotic clubs, Tesla coils, Tesla car showcase, amateur radio, battlebots, Maker Space trailer, local artisans and an interactive STEAM bus from New York Institute of Technology. The daytime event was coupled with a lively nighttime celebration featuring the band ArcAttack.

“What an amazing day to celebrate one of this world’s most acclaimed scientist and inventor,” said county Legislator Sarah Anker (D-Mount Sinai). “Thanks to the many TSCW volunteers, local and international community support, and the many partnerships with government, Nikola Tesla’s legacy will continue to inspire and encourage our future scientists.”

The Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe, located in Shoreham, is Nikola Tesla’s last remaining laboratory. Known as a man before his time, he was deemed a genius while researching alternating current systems. He believed that energy didn’t have to be a rich man’s luxury. Energy could be available to all and powered naturally. He thought he could power the whole Northeastern seaboard from Niagara Falls. 

An inventor with hundreds of patents, he was involved in the invention of the radio, remote control and more.

In 1901 Tesla acquired the Wardenclyffe property in Shoreham to test his theories of being able to wirelessly transmit electrical messages, funded by J.P. Morgan. A huge 187-foot tower was designed and constructed for the purpose.

In 1903 creditors confiscated his heavier equipment, and in 1917 the tower was demolished. The concrete feet used to hold the structure can still be seen on the property today. 

Tesla was eventually cut off, causing him to lose control of the site. The property became a film processing company in the early ’30s, where harsh chemicals were dumped into the ground. The contaminated property was sold again and became shuttered in 1987. 

A decades-long cleanup ensued, and the property was put back up for sale. 

The community — locally, nationally and even internationally — came together to fundraise to eventually buy the property in 2013, preserve it and make it a real historic site. 

According to Doug Borge, chief operating officer at TSCW, “At our annual Tesla Birthday events, we not only celebrate Nikola Tesla’s contributions, but also his living legacy that we each build upon through science and innovation.”

The mission of Tesla’s last remaining lab is to develop the site into a transformative global science center that embraces his bold spirit of invention, provides innovative learning experiences, fosters the advancement of new technologies and preserves his legacy in the Tesla Museum.

The group imagines a world where people appreciate Tesla’s contributions, are inspired by his scientific audacity and engage in the future betterment of humanity.

“Today is a perfect example of where we are as an organization,” Borge said. “We’re a community hub for people that love science technology, that are associated with Nikola Tesla and to be a resource for people to leverage, learn and become their own version of Tesla.”

In general, technology and interactivity at this year’s Tesla Birthday Expo were more engaging and popular than ever, he added. New and expanded STEAM exhibits allowed attendees to get hands-on with Tesla inventions and technology. 

ArcAttack made their first visit to Wardenclyffe and took things to a whole new level with a performance at the night shows featuring Tesla coils, rock music and lightning-producing electric instruments. Volunteers in the audience were “zapped” in a Faraday cage, including TSCW’s executive director Marc Alessi.

“We weren’t sure what to expect in terms of attendance at this year’s Tesla Birthday events, due to the pandemic,” Borge said. “Fortunately, we had a great turnout at both the daytime Tesla Birthday Expo and night show.”

Borge added that “the expo is interesting because you can see the crowds clustering around specific exhibits and interacting with enthusiasm.”  

Some fan favorites were the 3D scan that showed the interior of Tesla’s laboratory as it looks today, the robotics and maker space area, along with the go-carts and robots zipping around. 

“This is such an exciting event for the community to learn about important advances in technology,” said attorney and advocate Laura Ahearn, of Port Jefferson. “I’m really excited about getting to meet community members that come here, and some of the high school students that have built from scratch robotic devices better than anything … when I was in high school, I wish I would have had the opportunities that these young students have because it’s going to help them in their future.”

Borge said within the next few weeks, demolition of the dilapidated, noncontributing factory building suffocating Tesla’s laboratory will begin. Additionally, they plan to break ground on its visitor center that will allow them to pilot exhibits and engage and educate more visitors at Wardenclyffe. 

“These are important next steps in the development of TSCW and a moment that many of our global supporters have been looking forward to since TSCW’s record-breaking crowdfund in 2012, which raised $1.4 million in six weeks from 33,000 donors in 108 countries,” he said. “These funds, along with a matching grant from New York State and contributions from supporters like the Musk Foundation, enabled us to purchase Wardenclyffe in 2013. Fast forward to 2021, and TSCW is now positioned to start renovations after raising $10.2 million and acquiring the necessary plans and permits. It’s important to note that we still need to raise another $9.8 million to finish developing the site.”

County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) also made an appearance.

“It’s just really exciting to encourage interest in science and to recognize the history here on Long Island,” she said. “It has such an important impact in so many ways.”

The center will be hosting more events this summer, including the Sound of Science concert on Aug. 28 in collaboration with another nonprofit, Rites of Spring Festival, that will offer a unique immersive musical experience by electronic musicians and contemporary composers.  

Sept. 23 is TSCW’s Third Annual Gala fundraiser for an evening of virtual entertainment, auctions and tech surprises. 

Later in the year, Wardenclyffe will host a Halloween event on Oct. 30, and their annual holiday lighting on Dec. 3. 

Dev Patel stars in the medieval fantasy ‘The Green Knight’. Photo courtesy of A24 Films

By Jeffrey Sanzel

A year ago, studios were deciding whether to release their summer slates. Would theaters open to limited seating? Should movies be offered on streaming platforms? Does it make sense to delay a few weeks or even hold off to the fall? Many films announced for July did not appear until September or even later. Disney+, Amazon Prime, Vudu, and others hosted a range of new releases. For the summer of 2021, it is notable that some will continue simultaneous theater and home viewing releases. 

Some of the more anticipated films are already out, so we will focus on what is coming up in July and August.

There is never a shortage of sequels, especially for those who like numbers in their titles: The Forever Purge (July 2); Spacejam: A New Legacy (July 16); Hotel Transylvania 4: Transformania (July 23); Escape Room 2 (July 16); and Don’t Breathe 2 (August 13). This list could also include the Candyman reboot (August 27) and the “soft reboot” of The Suicide Squad (August 6).

Summer of Soul

While Woodstock has become the cultural icon of music events, the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival had huge attendance. It featured legendary artists (Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and Nina Simone, among many others.). Director Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s documentary explores the music and its influence with exceptional archival footage. 

Rated PG-13 · Release date July 2

Black Widow 

For those looking for a superhero blockbuster, Scarlett Johansson reprises her role as the Avengers super-spy in a prequel that takes place after the events of Captain America: Civil War. The character has been seen in over eight different films (including her death in Avengers: Endgame) in a ten-year span. This origin story is part of Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Rated PG-13 · Release date July 9

Old 

Few cinematic auteurs cause as much anticipation and frustration as M. Night Shyamalan. In Old, a family on a tropical vacation realizes that they are aging rapidly. The basic premise was suggested by the graphic novel Sandcastle, but in Shyamalan(d), nothing is ever straightforward. Whether this will be The Sixth Sense or The Lady in the Water remains to be seen. 

Rated PG-13 · Release date July 23

Stillwater 

Matt Damon stars in director Tom McCarthy’s thriller about an Oklahoma oil-rig worker who travels to Marseille, France, to clear his daughter’s name when imprisoned for a crime she says she didn’t commit. The preview offers Damon in rugged protective father mode, emoting shades of Liam Neeson. The cast also includes Camille Cottin from Call My Agent.

Rated R · Release date July 30

The Green Knight 

One of the summer’s most anticipated movies is writer-director David Lowery’s take on the 14th-century poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.” The always excellent Dev Patel stars as the titular lord in an epic fantasy with horror-movie overtones. The Green Knight is definitely something for those who have been missing Game of Thrones: The film is replete with quests, romance, giants and beheadings. Also starring Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, and Sean Harris.

Rated R · Release date July 30

Respect 

Jennifer Hudson stars as the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Earlier in 2021, National Geographic’s Genius: Aretha received the ire of Franklin’s family, having been cut out of the production’s development. Conversely, the family has embraced the upcoming Respect, claiming that Hudson was the only person Aretha considered right to portray her. The exceptional cast includes Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Marc Maron, and Audra McDonald. 

Rated PG-13 · Release date August 13

Coda 

In a remake of the French-language La Famille Bélier (2014), Emilia Jones plays a teenager torn between musical aspirations and a devotion to helping her deaf family in their fishing business. This mix of coming-of-age romance and topical family drama received accolades at Sundance. Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin and Eugenio Derbez co-star.

Not Rated · Release date August 13

Free Guy 

Ryan Reynolds plays “Guy,” a bank teller who discovers that he is just a background player in someone else’s video game. This realization drives him to make a life for himself. The clever premise of this action-comedy could be a breakthrough experience or just another been-there-done-that.

Rated R · Release date August 13

Reminiscence 

Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy makes her directorial debut with a sci-fi drama starring Hugh Jackman as Nicholas Bannister, a veteran living in climate-ravaged Miami. Bannister provides an unusual service: He gives clients an opportunity to relive any memory. His course is derailed by an affair with Mae (Rebecca Ferguson), leading to twists and turns in both the past and present.

Rated PG-13 · Release date August 20

The Night House 

This psychological thriller follows a recent widow (Rebecca Hall) living alone in the lakeside house built for her by her late husband. In true horror mystery fashion, the night brings nightmares that drive her to delve into the dark secrets of her husband’s past. The film also stars Sarah Goldberg and Stacy Martin.

Rated R · Release date August 20

The Beatles: Get Back

 Peter Jackson has created a documentary that focuses on the making of the Beatles 1969 album Let It Be, using footage captured for Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s 1970 film (also called Let It Be). The creation of songs such as “The Long and Winding Road” and “Get Back” is played against the clashes and carousing of a band on the verge of dissolution.

Not Rated · Release date August 27

This article first appeared in TBR News Media’s Summer Times supplement on 06/24/21.