'Devastated' town mourns Malone sisters, Mulhall at wakes

Grief for three lost young lives swept through a Long Island community Sunday as hundreds mourned at two separate wakes for the victims of the Meadowbrook Parkway crash.

On a sweltering afternoon, more than 500 people waited on line outside for up to 45 minutes to pay their respects at the Floral Park wake for sisters Paige Malone, 19, and Jamie Malone, 22, who died in the one-car crash Thursday on their way to work as counselors at a Lido Beach camp.

In the evening, at least 600 went to New Hyde Park for the wake of Michael Mulhall, 22, also a counselor at Camp Anchor. Fellow counselors who attended wore white polo shirts with "Staff" printed on back.

The Rev. John V. O'Farrell - pastor of Our Lady of Victory, the families' church in Floral Park - said the loss of the three young people seems to have touched everyone in town, where they all lived. "The whole community," he said, "is grieving."

Funeral services for the sisters are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Victory Church in Floral Park. Mulhall's funeral will be there Tuesday at 10:15 a.m.

Angela Schumacher, 22, of Bayside, was among those who grieved for the Malone sisters at Dalton Funeral Home in Floral Park.

Schumacher said she played basketball with Jamie Malone during the summer when they were in junior high school. She said she heard about her friend's death from news reports and felt compelled to come pay her respects.

"Nothing is going to take away the pain of losing two children," she said of the Malone family.

Sue Betos of Whitestone, Queens, also knew Jamie from the days when her daughter played basketball with her.

"I hope they have the strength to go on," she said of the young women's family.

Justine Mulhall, 20, Mike Mulhall's sister and the driver of the car, and Kelly Murphy, 20, also of Floral Park, were hurt in the crash. Mulhall was released from Nassau University Medical Center on Friday and Murphy was released from the hospital Sunday.

State police have released no details about the crash, except to quickly say they ruled out alcohol as a factor.

At Mulhall's wake in New Hyde Park, the line stretched along Stewart Avenue from Hillside Avenue to 83rd Street. Some waited more than an hour to get inside.

Friends said Mulhall was a popular student at Chaminade High School, from which he graduated in 2006. He played four years on the hockey team and had a lot of friends, said Sean Whalen, 22, of Levittown.

"Everyone's devastated," he said of Mulhall's high school friends.

Another friend, Ryan Lacertosa, 22, of Seaford, said Mulhall became involved in Camp Anchor, which serves disabled youth, because "he always really liked helping people."

"He was a laid-back fun guy," Lacertosa said. "And also a really caring kid."

Mourners visited the Mulhall residence on Beech Street Sunday afternoon, where chairs were set up in the backyard. People outside the house declined to speak to reporters.

Earlier in the day, during Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Victory, an altar girl asked the crowd to pray for "those who are touched by the tragic car crash."

Outside church, Artie Tricarico - whose daughter went to school with Jamie and Paige Malone - said the tragedy "hits us all."

He added: "The whole town is devastated."