Thanks and praise in Farmingdale for community efforts after bus crash

Farmingdale High sophomore Owen Mammolito and his family are still healing, nearly three months after a bus carrying him and other school marching band members plunged down a ravine upstate.

The Sept. 21 crash off Interstate 84 in Orange County killed two adults, the band's popular director and a longtime chaperone, and injured dozens of students, including Mammolito, a French horn player.

He's still recovering physically, and along with his family, continuing to recuperate emotionally — the Farmingdale High School community always offering support.

At a ceremony Monday at Howitt Middle School, Owen, his parents, fellow band members and their families, returned the favor. They heaped thanks and praised on those in the community who helped survivors and their relatives regain a semblance of normalcy in the days and weeks after the crash.

Farmingdale Superintendent Paul Defendini thanked law enforcement, several area organizations, including groups representing Farmingdale High faculty, and the extended school community. 

“Some of our kids experienced something no child should ever have to experience,” Defendini said. “And tragically, we lost two of our angels, who are the heart and soul of our marching band program.”

He was referring to band director Gina Pellettiere, 43, and longtime chaperone Beatrice Ferrari, 77, who both died when the bus crashed on the way to a Pennsylvania band camp. 

“That punched me in the gut twice,” Owen Mammolito said.

Owen described the time since the crash as “a rough three months” but he remains in the band.

Because, he added, “Ms. P” as Pellettiere was affectionately known, would have wanted him to.

“I’m fine all things considered,” Owen said. “I’m healing quicker physically than mentally.”

Defendini acknowledged the efforts of counselors, community businesses and PTA members who rallied around the survivors and their families by putting up green ribbons in Farmingdale, or replacing earbuds and sneakers lost in the crash, among other gestures of caring.

“Although many of our kids have begun to resume a more normal operating activity, several are still heroically making strides every single day," he said. "I am proud of the whole as you should be. We are not there yet. But we are making strides day by day in true Daler fashion."

Owen’s mother, Danielle Mammolito, said the event gave her a chance “to finally be able to thank the people who were there that day, who risked their lives for our children. That incident punched a hole in our family.”

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.