_________ Oceanside/island park ________
HERALD VOL. 59 NO. 32
Meet Nassau Hall of Famers
A look at the GOP convention
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AUGUST 1 - 7, 2024
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With kickball, I.P. remembers Geri Yellin sue similar to the lining of the uter us, the endometrium, g rows outside the uter us. The annual kickball tourna- Despite her illnesses, she found joy in life and was deeply ment honoring the memory of Geri Yellin, of Long Beach, who involved in raising her daughdied in 2018, at 47, after a ter, Brooke Yellin, now 22, of lengthy illness, will take place Island Park. Brooke said she learned that at Lincoln Orens Middle School when her mother was born, in Island Park on Aug. 10. “she was the color The annual blue.” “She had 5 M o m m a Ye l l i n’s percent oxygen Kickball Classic, going to her brain,” which started in Brooke explained. 2022, raises funds “Her doctors (said) for the Geri E. Yellt h a t s h e wo u l d i n S c h o l a r s h i p, never have a norwhich is awarded to mal life, she’d be a a Long Beach High BROOKE YELLIN vegetable after two School senior who Kickball Classic weeks — and then exemplifies the organizer she was still OK. characteristics Geri She was the embodied: strength, bravery, deter mination and embodiment of determination kindness. There will be a num- and going against the odds.” The scholarship is the Yellin ber games throughout the day, and prizes will be raffled off by family’s way of ensuring that local businesses. Money raised Geri’s spirit lives on by supportfrom entry fees, sponsorships ing students who share her and purchases on the day of the qualities. Yellin was a stay-attournament help fund the schol- home mom who was dedicated to raising Brooke, her only arship. child. Now, Brooke’s father, Ian, Yellin, a longtime resident of Long Beach, was born with con- works two jobs to help put her genital heart disease and faced through college. “My mom was with me every numerous health challenges, including diabetes and endome- second of the day,” Brooke said. triosis, a condition in which tisContinued on pAge 4
By KEPHERD DANIEL
kdaniel@liherald.com
Janet Prete/Herald
Brian Amato, a naturally talented percussionist, performs a drum solo.
If he hears it, he can play it Oceanside resident with autism finds his niche behind a drum kit and rocks with the band Westlake By JANET PRETE Correspondent
Brian Amato, of Oceanside, may have difficulty expressing his thoughts through words, but his love of music is unmistakable to anyone watching him play the drums. Sitting behind the drums with his band, Westlake, Amato flashes a smile as he lays down rhythms for covers of songs from the Allman Brothers Band, the Beatles, Grateful Dead and Nirvana. Amato, 27, has autism. His gift for music was discovered around age 9 when he sat down at a piano in the family home and just started playing. During a trip to the Sam Ash music store with his grandmother, Maria Heller, to purchase some sheet music, Amato
found his way to a drum set in the store and played well enough to convince the salesman that he had been playing for more than just three minutes. He had never previously taken a piano or drum lesson. Amato’s parents, Ann and Peter, then actively pursued avenues to develop his gift, enrolling him in the iSchool of Music and Art, which put him together with other kids to form an ad hoc band. That was Amato’s first experience playing with other people and a band teacher. “Brian is very creative, very spontaneous with music and can learn a song in no time,” Peter Amato said. “He can hear a song and remember almost the whole song. He can do that with the drums, and he can do that with Continued on pAge 9
M
y mom supported all my dreams.