Sachem East Shaves the Day

Hair piled on the stage of Sachem High School East's auditorium Wednesday afternoon as countless students and teachers went under the buzzer in support of Gerry Ahearn and the St. Baldrick's Foundation.

For those unaware of Ahearn, who has become an icon of inspiration in the Sachem community, he's a senior athlete who has battled Ewing's Sarcoma for the last five years. Through many surgeries, the loss of his own hair and agonizing chemotherapy sessions, Ahearn embodies the true spirit of a Sachem student – he'd sooner break through walls than turn away from the fight.

And so it was fitting that many of his teammates, peers and teachers honored him and St. Baldrick's fight of childhood cancer by sacrificing their hair. East raised over $15,480 (as of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday), well over its goal of $10,000.

Students like Kevin O'Reilly, who is suffering from Fredreich's Ataxia and has garnered news as of late with a push to get on ABC's Extreme Home Makeover, was one of the first ones to get his hair buzzed off.

"When I needed it the community stepped up for me," he said, "so I decided to help a fellow student."

East football coach Brian Harvey had his head shaved with a buzzer on stage, but waited for Ahearn to arrive and finish the job by trimming the remaining fuzz down to the scalp.

"Gerry's been through a lot over the last couple years and anyway we can help is good," said Harvey, who was carrying around a shaving cream bottle and water bucket prior to Ahearn's arrival.

Even Ahearn's father Gerry and brother Billy got their heads shaved. Gerry Sr. said it was special that the kids all came out in support of his son, who underwent chemotherapy as late as Tuesday afternoon.

For teammates of Ahearn's, like junior Lucas Brum, it meant the world to help out a fellow gridiron brother.

"He's an inspiration," Brum said. "He has it a lot worse than most and it makes me fight harder to honor him."

Among the many who had their heads shaved were East principal Rory Manning and assistant principal Lou Antonetti.

Perhaps the best of them all was junior Joe Lunger, who said he would have his mop-top shaved if they raised $100. It didn't take long. Less than 90 seconds later people around the auditorium ran up with money and Lunger was on stage.

"Everyone is together as one," said Ahearn. "It's a good feeling to get everyone together like this."