Scoreboard Dedicated In Memory Of Dylan Newman, 'An Incredible Person'

SOUTHOLD, NY — Once again, just as it did before a vigil to remember Dylan Newman, 18, who died in September after a brave four-year battle with cancer, a light rain cleared just as a crowd gathered to remember his light and courage. As a scoreboard was dedicated in his memory on the Southold High School baseball field Thursday, a brilliant ray of light broke through the clouds.

The scoreboard, which reads, "Southold Settlers, In Memory of Dylan Newman 5", was donated by the Randy and Barbara Ann Frankel Foundation in memory of Dylan. Frankel is a co-owner of the Tampa Bay Rays.

The dedication, just like the vigil in September, was held on the baseball field, the players all wearing Dylan's color, green — his team #5 adorning their shirts, as were the words, "Dylan Newman, Forever 5."

As family, friends, students and supporters gathered on the field, John Mellencamp's "Small Town" played, an appropriate anthem for the Southold community that rallied fiercely throughout Dylan's battle, lifting him up with an unshakable show of love. And that same community has remained united since in keeping his memory strong through the Dylan Newman Forever 5 charitable organization created to do good works and provide scholarships in his name.

"We cannot express enough how much this gift means to us," his family wrote on the Dylan Newman Forever 5 Facebook page, of the scoreboard. "Dylan will be remembered for years and years and years by future students who never met him, and forever by those who were lucky enough to know and love and be loved by him."

Speaking to the many who stood on the field Thursday, Todd Newman, Dylan's father, said there was much to say. "Thank you is not enough to say to all of you, especially Randy and his family."

His voice filled with tears, Todd gestured around the field. "This is Dylan's favorite place."

As he was driving to work Thursday, Todd said he wondered what words he could say at the dedication of the scoreboard.

"This process started when Randy reached out to us and wanted to know Dylan's story," he said.

They sat and talked for about two hours and shared time crying, "just telling Dylan's story, how much he loved this game of baseball. This speech is like a Hall of Fame speech to me. Because Dylan deserved to be in three Hall of Fames. The Southold Hall of Fame, for what he did to get on that field every day."

Not many know, he said, what it took, with chemo, to keep moving forward and playing, attending practices despite his illness. "No one here really realized what it took for that kid to get out of his car, to come play on this field," he said.

He also deserved to be in the Baseball of Fame, "because he loved the game more than anyone I ever knew in my life," Todd said. "He loved the game of baseball."

A sob catching in his throat, Todd added that the third was the "human Hall of Fame. Because he was an incredible person. He never, ever said a bad thing about anybody."

He added: "At his funeral, I said, 'I will mourn you today, and I will celebrate you the rest of my life.' And today is one of those days."

He thanked Frankel for everything he'd done as well as many others involved in making the scoreboard a reality; without the team of supporters, it wouldn't have been possible, he said.

"At the end of the day, we celebrate Dylan because he was just a good kid," he said.

Frankel also spoke. In addition to the Tampa Bay Rays, Frankel said five or six years ago he came to the North Fork for the first time with his wife and kids. His daughter wanted to get into the winery business, he said, so they bought Shinn Estate Winery, renaming it Rose Hill Vineyards & Inn. He also became a partner in Croteaux Vineyards and purchased the Ruland farm in Mattituck.

"The longer we spend time up here, we love it," he said. "I was always told when you're in a position to help, you help."

When he heard about the Newman family, and their unthinkable loss, "It really hit home. Young kid, baseball, in my backyard. I had to reach out to them and just meet them."

Frankel said he wanted to help the family and the community and donated $25,000 to start their foundation. And then, he said, "I said, 'If this is Dylan's home, why don't we get a spot for him to watch every game and bring some luck?'" So he challenged Todd to make it happen. "And that's when I knew this guy could be in my foxhole anytime, because he was going to get it done. Here we are today — it happened."

Frankel also donated another $25,000 Thursday to the Newman family for Dylan's foundation.

Frankel flew up from Florida Wednesday night. "I wouldn't have missed today for anything," he said.

Southold High School Athletic Director Steven Flanagan also spoke. "Play hard for Dylan today," he told the Southold and Greenport varsity baseball teams.

Naomi Meraz sang the National Anthem.

When he died in September, scores filled First Presbyterian Church of Southold to capacity and spilled into an overflow room to say goodbye to Dylan Newman.

But despite the sadness, there were touches of the joy that infused Dylan's life — everywhere, there was green, a nod to his love for the color. Green sneakers. Green ties. Green ribbons and green clothing. And also, the green wristbands adorned with the words "Team Dylan" that graced so many, many fundraisers for a young man an entire town loved as their own.

Town Hall itself was illuminated in green the night before, an unprecedented act to honor a boy who brought a community together in caring.

"Like so many others, we wanted to show the family how much Dylan meant to this community," Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said.

The service, led by Rev. Dr. Peter Kelley, was somber but also filled with joyful memories and laughter as his friends and loved ones told stories about a young man known for his bright and ever-present positivity, his courage, his indomitable spirit, his love for others, and his passion for sports — including baseball and basketball.

Rev. Kelley spoke to those gathered about the outpouring of love from the community for Dylan and his family, including his parents Todd and Tanya and sister Kelsey, after their boy was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma four years ago. He was just 14 years old when they got the news.
The community response, he said, was an incredible display of support and steadfast devotion.

That love, he said, will live forever. "Dylan was a light," he said. And, he said to those listening, Dylan's light burns brightly in the many he touched. "You are the light of the world," he said. "It's not going out."

His friends spoke of hibachi nights and beach days, the day Dylan threw the first pitch at a Mets game, corn hole and Sunday night football, rides on golf carts and dock diving, fishing and laughter. . .so much laughter. Dylan, they said, was known for his quick wit and whispered comments that could bring tears of mirth. But always, they said, he was kind, leading with compassion and raising the bar for everyone he knew.

When you were having a bad day, they said, Dylan would always ask how you were, even though you knew his day had undoubtedly been worse. Because that was the kind of person Dylan was.

Deespite the grief, thick and heavy in the church as family and loved ones, as well as young men and women, Dylan's friends, too young to know such sadness, cried, their arms wrapped around one another for comfort — there was joy. Joy in knowing that Dylan, their hero #5, had left a forever legacy.

And that he had brought a veritable army, Team Dylan, together forever.

"It takes a team," Todd said. "And we had the team of all teams."

At the vigil held for Dylan, his father also spoke, remembering April 26, 2018, the day his family learned that Dylan had a tumor on his hip. Hundreds turned out for the first fundraiser, a "Dash for Dylan," at Southold High School, soon after.

"I ended what I had to say that day with, 'We have an army behind us,'" he said. "And this army is still strong."

Newman thanked the community for the years of caring, and for surrounding his family with love.

Tears flowing at the vigil, the crowd then walked the bases, a "final lap," for Dylan. The Newmans gathered together on home plate, for their boy. They then went to stand by the fence, before Dylan's photo and balloons with the number 5 — as the procession around the bases continued steadily, the green lights illuminating the night with love.