________________ LONG BEACH _______________
HERALD Weisenberg supports JCC
Fundraiser helps local veterans
Page 8
Page 31
Vol. 35 No. 44
oCToBER 24 - 30, 2024
1111028 1238044
Also serving Point Lookout & East Atlantic Beach
$1.00
Local author writes moving new memoir
The king and queen of Homecoming Matthew McCaffrey and Summer Reed were crowned Long Beach’s Homecoming king and queen during the festivities last Friday night. On the field, the Marines beat Sewanhaka, 26-6. Story, more photos, Page 4.
ly through their grief. His priority became “getting them off the ash heap,” particularly his wife Edward T. Byrne’s powerful and daughter, who were at home new memoir, “In Whom I Am when Matthew died there. “I probably didn’t touch this Well Pleased,” recounts his grief as a father who in an instant is until 2016,” Byrne told the Herforced to confront what can only ald. “I made up my mind that it be described as “a parent’s worst was probably worthwhile to do.” The book would nightmare” — the take Byr ne until loss of child to sui2018 to complete, as cide. he tackled the comByrne, 72, who plexity of his son’s lives in Long Beach, mental health crisis weaves together two and addiction head narrative threads, on, learning more about his son Matabout him, and the t h e w ’ s j o u r n e y, thoughts that had growing up as an haunted him for all-American boy on years that had Long Island, and his never come to light. subsequent descent, The book isn’t as post-traumatic intended to cast s t r e s s f r o m h i s EDWARD T. ByRNE blame on anyone, dream job as a New Author but it acknowledges York City firefighter t h at t h e re we re sends him spiraling toward substance abuse, depres- signs that Byrne now believes sion and eventually to the point were “not taken seriously enough.” of taking his own life. “It was a tough book to “You’re definitely shellshocked in the wake of some- write,” he said. “It’s a tough thing like this,” Byrne recalled book to read. Hopefully it was of the aftermath of that devas- worth the effort. Time makes a difference. It doesn’t let you get tating day in August 2014. Byrne said that he began over (the loss), but it lets you get writing the memoir after two past it.” years of trying to help his famiContinued on page 26
By DANIEl oFFNER
doffner@liherald.com
T
Bob Arkow/Herald
Former LBHS cheerleader builds successful youth program By BRENDAN CARPENTER bcarpenter@liherald.com
Felissa Light grew up in Long Beach, went to the city’s schools, and showed her school spirit as a cheerleader. There have always been youth sports in the city — football, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, hockey, swimming. But outside of the Long Beach schools, there has never been cheerleading. “There was no youth cheer here as of two years ago,” Light said. So, she had an idea: create a youth cheer program for the Long Beach Bulldogs, which are part of the Nassau County Youth Football League.
“I’m a former Long Beach High School cheerleader — that’s my claim to fame,” Light said. “I had approached the head of the league, and he said people have always tried to bring cheerleaders to the league, but no one has been successful. They didn’t think I’d be successful, but I was overwhelmingly successful.” Light, an advertising sales executive by day, is now in her second school-year “season” of showing young cheerleaders the ropes of sideline cheering. She has 150 of them, kindergartners through seventh-graders, divided into six squads of similar ages. Sideline cheer takes place on the sidelines of sporting events — like football — to get the Continued on page 7
ime makes a difference. It doesn’t let you get over it, but it lets you get past it.