Front Line First Responders Make Woman's 25th Birthday Special

MATTITUCK, NY — Friends and families came together to make a Mattituck woman's 25th birthday special during the coronavirus crisis, organizing a drive-by parade that epitomized the best of the North Fork's hometown heart.

To celebrate her birthday, Courtney Ficner's sister Chelsea organized the parade "since we couldn't do the usual gathering with cake and family due to COVID-19," cousin Bobby Haas said. "She reached out to family and friends who all met at the corner, decorated the cars, then headed down the road."

Chelsea reflected on the special day: "We decided to organize a last minute drive by because every little bit of positivity during these times is needed," she said. "Just like Bobby, I’m a first responder and been overwhelmed with so much negativity during this pandemic. We need to smile and enjoy the good times any way we can. And, of course, it’s my sister. I would do anything to make her happy and make her birthday as special as I can."