North Fork Goes To Bat For 'Special Young Man' Fighting Cancer

NORTH FORK, NY — The community is ready to go to bat for Dylan Newman, 18, a Southold High School senior who is battling cancer.

Southold and Mattituck varsity team players are set to play on Friday at Cochran Park in Peconic. The event begins at 5 p.m. with a Chinese auction under tent; the baseball game begins at 6 p.m. Refreshments and snacks will be available for purchase.

The event is sponsored by the Southold and Mattituck varsity baseball teams, as well as the Southold Athletic Association.

"Together we play, together we win," organizers wrote.

Those planning the event are eager to help.

"I first heard about Dylan and his journey last year when co-teaching at Cutchogue East with Catherine Duffy," said Dan O'Sullivan, Mattituck varsity baseball coach. "Her son Brendan, also a Southold senior, is very close with Dylan. When we heard about Dylan's story — I brought some information to our varsity players and they were eager to spring to action."

They created "Team Dylan" shirts and fundraised at several home games with the traditional pass-the-hat fundraisers, O'Sullivan said.

"All proceeds were handed directly to Dylan at the conclusion of our final regular season home game last year," he said.

Then, earlier this year, Southold baseball coach Greg Tulley and O'Sullivan decided that for Dylan's senior year, they wanted to do something special.

"Having many returning players here at Mattituck who have personal connections with Dylan, we decided that a huge fundraising event would be special for an incredibly brave and strong young man," O'Sullivan said.

O'Sullivan added: "His passion and determination are an inspiration to us all. We hope that tonight is a chance to unite as a North Fork community for some fun competition, while also fundraising to recognize, support and honor a special young man."

Dylan, who is undergoing a third round of treatment, was diagnosed in 2018 when he was just 14.

In the years since, friends and family have come together in a big way, organizing a sea of fundraisers, including a parade in 2020, a Kait's Angels yard sale and a "Team Dylan #5 Fundraiser" held at Claudio's.

Other events, packed with a friends and supporters, have included a "Dash for Dylan" fundraiser that brought more than 400 to the Southold Junior/Senior High School gym.

Supporters also teamed up to "Pack The Shack" at another fundraiser, "Food For A Cause," held at The North Fork Shack.

Dylan, a YouCaring page set up in the past to help said, is "full of love and life. He loves his sports — especially baseball. He has an amazing family that loves him more than he could ever know and the greatest friends that will always have his back."

However, their family was hit with devastating news. "This boy has been thrown a real curve ball," the page says. "Our #5 is 'In It To Win It,' but will need our support."

The goal is to raise funds to help Dylan, along with his parents, Todd and Tanya, and sister Kelsey with the financial burdens as Dylan receives treatment. Todd Newman, Dylan's dad, said his whole family is grateful for outpouring of caring from a devoted community. "We have an army behind us to beat this," he said. "This community has been so good to us."