Island Trees Football Honors Alumni at Breakfast

The word "heroes" was mentioned frequently at Saturday's Island Trees Football Alumni Breakfast. It's a word that could summarize the breakfast, as the numerous members of the community honored are and were just that; heroes.

Plaques, citations and memorials were issued in honor of several Island Trees alumni. Legislators Dennis Dunne, Joe Belesi and Rose Marie Walker gave speeches, as did Assemblyman Joseph Saladino. To everyone who spoke, and to everyone in attendance, the honorees were all heroes.

A memorial honoring the Island Trees graduates who gave their lives serving in the military was dedicated at the ceremony. Included on the plaque were Claude Daniel Richards and Kevin Smith, two graduates killed in the line of duty on September 11, 2001.

Smith was a member of the FDNY who was one of 19 members of Hazmat Company 1 killed on September 11. FDNY member James Daovolio worked in the same firehouse as Smith and praised all of the members of the department who gave their lives that day.

"These truly were the bravest, the dedicated, the most professional members in fire services," said Daovolio.

Richards was honored at last year's event, but was recognized again this year. A flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol was presented to the NYPD bomb squad, which Richards was a member of.

The family of Daniel Fuentes was also present at the ceremony and was presented with a citation from County Executive Ed Mangano honoring their son's service. Fuentes, a wrestler during his time at Island Trees, was killed in 2007 while serving in Iraq.

Nick Tonno, an Island Trees graduate who organized the event, was the event's emcee. He got emotional when presenting a County citation to Joseph Anderson, a member of the U.S. Marine Corps who served in Afghanistan. Tonno talked about how he first got in touch with Anderson while the latter was on the battlefield.

"Here's a kid, in Afghanistan, on the battlefield in the war zone," said Tonno, "and he takes the time to send me an email back and tell me that he's sorry because he can't help me. To make a choice and have someone like him send me an email on the battlefield, that's a special guy."

A special recognition from the U.S. Congress was given to former Island Trees teacher Robert Amato, who taught at the school from 1962 to 2010. "Anyone who can give their time for 48 years and educate over 5,000 students," said Tonno, "in my book is a hero [and] in the community's book is a hero."

The importance of honoring the school's heroes was not lost on the audience, but in his remarks. Assemblyman Saladino reminded the audience why it's important to do so.

"We look to people today, whether they be Kevin Smith, Daniel Fuentes, Joseph Anderson, Robert Amato," he said, "and we recognize them for a very important reason; their pride to our community [and] their sacrifice."

To see Edward Anderson's gallery from the alumni breakfast, click here.