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In search of a donor
Q&A: Mayor Jeff Martin
Mercerville resident looking to spread the word as she waits for a liver transplant
Interview by Joe EMansKi
By SUe Ferrara
Barbara Tafrow Gerrity was barely two years old when Denver surgeon Thomas Starzl pioneered the world’s first liver transplant using a liver from a deceased donor. Starzl lost his first patient, but never gave up the pursuit of refining an operation which could help save lives. He died in 2018, at the age of 91, leaving behind a wealth of knowledge contained in over 3,000 papers on the subject. Fast forward 60 years, and Gerrity, who lives in Mercerville with her husband Jim Gerrity, now finds herself patiently waiting for her own liver transplant. She will benefit from the research Dr. Starzl left behind; but she hopes to take advantage of innovations which now allow a liver donation from a living donor. She has a transplant team in place at the Penn Liver Transplant Program in Philadelphia. All she needs is one donor. See DONOR, Page 10
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Hamilton Township’s three high school marching bands together in Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, in May. The bands gave a joint performance in the Magic Kingdom. (Photo courtesy of Hamilton Township School District.)
Third-generation chef brings popular pizzeria back to life By Joe EMansKi
Chef Mark Mazzone’s first restaurant job was working for his grandfather, Tony, at Gervasio’s Restaurant in Hamilton. The bar and restaurant, which Tony Gervasio owned and operated from 1969 to 2006, was a popular Hamilton hangout, known for its Italian-American dishes and tomato pies.
After Gervasio sold the business, it became Killarney’s Publick House. More that 50 years later, the building on White Horse Avenue continues to serve the community, albeit with new owners and a new identity. Mazzone was 15 when the original Gervasio’s was sold. Since then, he has gone on to establish himself in the restaurant business. He has worked
New Jersey’s only
as a cook and chef in the Philadelphia area at places like Wolfgang Puck Catering, Di Bruno Brothers, Xfinity Live and Border Café. All the while, he dreamed of one day opening his own place. He realized that dream in May, when he opened the new Gervasio’s Restaurant in nearby Chesterfield. Mazzone revived See GERVASIO’S, Page 9
NCI Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center
In the 47 years since Hamilton first moved to the mayor-council form of municipal government, only five people have been elected mayor of the township. Jeff Martin is the fi fth of five, and just the second Democrat to hold the position since John K. Rafferty’s first term in 1976. He is running for a second term this year, and will be hoping to maintain the status quo on Election Day in November, when voters will decide whether Martin or Republican challenger Marty Flynn will lead the township for the next four years. Flynn, a long-time educator and current athletic director at Trenton Catholic Academy, was prominent on the staff of elected Hamilton mayor number four, Kelly Yaede. The Hamilton Post plans to interview Mr. Flynn in an upcoming issue. On May 19, the Post sat down with Mayor Martin to discuss his first term, his hopes for a second term, his plans for the future, and more. The following Q&A has been edited for length and clarity. Hamilton Post: As we are See MAYOR, Page 18
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