Suffolk police officer Glen Ciano's memory honored with annual blood drive in Commack

As Susan Ciano arrived at the Commack Fire Department Saturday morning, she was quickly greeted by a high school friend, her four grandchildren, colleagues of her late husband and many others.

Even after more than a decade of hosting a blood drive in memory of her husband, Glen Ciano —  a Suffolk police officer killed in the line of duty by a drunken driver in 2009 — the moment left her in awe.

“It just is so exciting to see so many people remembering Glen,” she said. “And knowing there’s a [blood] shortage and they want to do their part to help that.”

A steady stream of donors filed into the spacious second-floor room at the firehouse starting at 8 a.m. for the 15th annual blood drive in memory of Ciano. Suffolk County police, the Commack Fire Department and the Commack Teachers Association partnered to host the event in collaboration with the New York Blood Center.

The blood drive came on the heels of the New York Blood Center declaring a blood emergency due to a drop in donations after the holidays. The event went on as normal despite a recent cyber incident that forced at least 17 other blood drives between Friday and Sunday to be canceled, according to the New York Blood Center.

Rob Weisberg spearheaded the blood drive to honor and remember his close friend. He and others described the annual blood drive as a celebration and reunion.

“Everybody’s goal today is what can we do to save lives, which is great,” Weisberg said. “And this is how Glen was.”

Billy Scaduto, a special-education teacher at Commack High School, said the Commack Teachers Association got involved in the blood drive two years ago. He said he expected students and teachers throughout the district to donate blood.

A teenager as young as 16 can donate blood with a parent or guardian’s consent, according to the New York Blood Center.

“It teaches the kids at a young age that when you do these things for the common good, it just makes the whole world a better place,” Scaduto said.

Dionis Xhindolli, a donor specialist for the New York Blood Center, said the Commack drive is “one of the largest” due to a “very supportive community.”

He said a pint of blood can save three lives. The donations from Saturday’s event are transported to the organization’s main lab to be tested and processed and then distributed to hospitals throughout the metropolitan area, he said. Blood donated on Saturday could be in another person’s body within two or three days, he said.

Dennis Ciano, one of Glen’s three older brothers, said he hopes the event serves as a reminder for people to be cautious on the roads.

“People just drive way too fast on this Island,” he said.

Some donors never met Ciano but still felt a connection to the fallen officer, who was 45.

Millie Soto, a longtime Suffolk police official, recalled working on the Fourth Precinct side that bordered the Second Precinct where Ciano patrolled.

She said it was “heartwarming” to see so many people donating.

“I think when there’s a call for help people do respond and do whatever part they can play,” she said. “Donating blood is probably one of the easiest things you can do to give back.”

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

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