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HERALD RECoRD
ROUNDTABLE SEN. ALEXIS WEIK Page 3 VOL. 129 NO. 41
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OCTOBER 16-22, 2024
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Copiague’s Rigaud Destime pursues basketball dream Athlete tries out for Long Island Nets By NIKO SCARLATOS Correspondent
Photo Credit/GoFundMe
Amityville firefighters at the scene of house fire on Meadown lane October 5.
Amityville home destroyed by fire Community reaching out to help family By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com The Amityville community has come together to assist a local family whose home on Meadow Lane was destroyed by fire Saturday, Oct. 5. The couple, Yasmin and Jeff Cohill, have two young children and lost their home and almost everything in it, including some of their pets. Saved, however, was the family dog. “They suffered the unimaginable, unthinkable tragedy; they lost their house and some of their fur babies. Both cars are destroyed, and the rest is unknown at this point, but they have shelter for the time being until they start this nightmare of a journey to rebuild. Please help if you can,” wrote Erin Gonzalez, who has established a GoFundMe page (https://shorturl.at/53InC) for the family.
In addition, residents are collecting clothing and household items for the family. The boys and girls are both youth medium. Items can be delivered to the home of Tracey Cullen Herbert at 54 Bay Avenue, Amityville and placed in the bins on the covered porch. The fire was reported at approximately 5 p.m. and upon arrival Amityville firefighters found heavy fire and smoke conditions on the second floor of the split home. One occupant was at home when the fire occurred but had escaped safely and uninjured before police and firefighters arrived. She was taken to a local hospital for smoke inhalation. Amityville Fire Chief Stephen Juliano said approximately 20 Amityville volunteers were at the scene and were assisted by about 30 oth ers from Copiague, North Amityville, Mass CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
For many young boys, growing up to be a professional basketball player is a cherished dream. Copiague’s Rigaud Destime recently took a significant step toward that goal by trying out for the Long Island Nets, the Brooklyn Nets’ affiliate in the NBA G League. Raised in Copiague, Destime played basketball at the College of Staten Island, where he helped his team win a conference championship as a freshman. Although his sophomore season ended with a loss in the conference title game, he earned a spot on the All-Conference Tournament team. After completing his four years at Staten Island, Destime traveled to Madrid, where he earned a master’s degree while playing basketball at the semiprofessional level. “That was a great experience for me,” he said. “I loved every second of my time in Madrid.” Upon returning to the United States, Destime’s passion for basketball remained strong. When he learned of the Long Island Nets’ tryouts, he seized the opportunity. “I think it went well,” Destime said. “The coaching staff runs a great program that allows us to showcase our talent, so I’m glad I
was given the chance.” Pursuing a dream that many consider unrealistic is challenging, but Destime encourages young athletes not to be deterred. “My advice to kids with sports dreams is to work smarter, not harder,” he said. “Talent is not always everything. Be disciplined and ask the right questions.” He also emphasized the importance of overcoming fear. “Do not be afraid to put yourself out there,” he said. “You never know, you might find yourself in a room that you didn’t think you would be in.” Making the Long Island Nets and making an impact on the team is within reach. Last year, Kameron Hankerson, a tryout participant, played in 28 games for Long Island during the 2022-23 season and competed for Brooklyn in the Las Vegas Summer League. Craig Randall II also rose from tryouts to training camp, eventually being named the G League’s Most Improved Player. Destime’s pursuit of his lifelong dream is inspiring, making him an easy player to root for. Regardless of whether he lands a spot on the 2024-25 Long Island Nets roster, his efforts have not gone unnoticed in his hometown of Copiague.