'Beacon Of Generosity' In Parsippany Battles Stage 4 Cancer

PARSIPPANY, NJ — Lou Contaldi is a fixture of Parsippany. Whether he's offering landscaping advice, coaching a local team or bringing a tray of sausage and peppers to a community event, many have gotten to know the "beacon of generosity."

Now, the community will need to come together for Contaldi. Last month, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, according to a GoFundMe raising money for Contaldi and his family. The owner of Ahead Lawn Service now faces some difficult months.

Contaldi, 58, can't perform the physical tasks necessary to run his small business. As the head of the house, that means the family will dip into retirement savings to cover daily expenses and medical treatment.

"Lou’s always been a helping hand and generous to a fault," the GoFundMe said. "Let’s rally as a community to support him."

It would be easy to get overwhelmed by such a serious diagnosis. But the Contaldi's — especially Lou — have been brought to tears with the support the community has offered.

With chemotherapy on the horizon, Contaldi faces a difficult path. But the community has come out strong so far, raising more than $11,000 in less than 24 hours. Mazzarella thanked everyone for the support and encouraged people to continue sharing the fundraiser.

"Everyone from long-time friends to distant acquaintances have reached out, looking for ways to help," the GoFundMe said. "The love and support have been a massive boost to his emotional and physical wellbeing, and a testament to how much he means to those around him."

Find the GoFundMe here.

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