Community Rallies To Help Beloved Former Greenport Principal

GREENPORT, NY — The community is coming together to help a former Greenport High School principal and teacher afford to stay in his own home after escalating costs for at-home care.

A GoFundMe, Please Help Herb Egert Stay at Home, was created by his daughter Chris Egert White.

"My father, Herb, is in a financial crisis. Although he seemed amply prepared for his later life, his long-term healthcare insurance and funds from his reverse mortgage have all been depleted due to his need for in-home care," White wrote.

Her father's only option now is Medicaid for home healthcare, White added. But, after deductions from his pension and Social Security, Egert is left with "an inadequate amount each month for food, utilities, and the like. My brothers and I have been supporting him as best as we can, but it’s not enough," White said.

She added: "I don’t want to see him have to go into a nursing home. That would be a death sentence for him. So in desperation, I am hoping that a GoFundMe account will get him by. If there is any contribution you can make, we would be so extremely grateful."

Former students remembered Egert on his GoFundMe page: "Mr. Egert is the best! He was always good to all us kids," one man wrote. "Very kind, always respectful to us even when we did not deserve it. Many remember while he was the principal, how he would get on the PA system after the Pledge of Allegiance and say, 'I want to see the following people in my office.' He called my name more than once. He always gave the best guidance he knew how. Give what you can to this fine man to help him along in his time of need. Remember, he was always there for us. Stay strong, Mr. Egert!"

Another added: "I wouldn't recognize Herb by sight, but if he were to start yelling at me, oh yeah," another man wrote. "Herb was my math teacher in high school. He was bound and determined to make me learn mathematics. Because of him and teachers like 'Ma' Hanff and Mr. Burlingame, I enjoyed a long career as an engineer. Most of the Boeing airplanes in the sky today have my name (along with thousands of others) somewhere in their records, mostly due to this man."

"He is a wonderful man," said Joan Dinizio.

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.