Islanders honor hundreds from Farmingdale band community impacted by bus crash
Members of the Farmingdale community are acknowledged during a game between the Islanders and the Arizona Coyotes at UBS Arena on Tuesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The Islanders hosted 466 members of the Farmingdale High School community on Tuesday night at UBS Arena, including members of the marching band and family members of the late Gina Pellettiere and Beatrice Ferrari.
School superintendent Paul Defendini told Newsday it was a helpful part of the recovery process following the horrific bus crash on Sept. 21 that claimed the lives of the two educators and injured numerous students.
“The distraction is wonderful,” Defendini said. “It really is a wonderful reprieve from a lot of the struggles that our kids have and are still continuing to have. These little moments mean a lot. It’s just another night to get out and see something like the Islander game that we wouldn’t be at had the Islanders not been generous enough to comp us 500 seats.”
Defendini, some students and Pelletierre’s family — all wearing green Farmingdale apparel — were recognized on the video board during a stoppage at 13:41 of the first period to a thunderous ovation.
A bus carrying members of the Farmingdale High School marching band crashed down a 50-foot ravine and overturned on I-84 in Orange County. Pellettiere, 43, of Massapequa, was the director of bands at the high school, and Ferrari, 77, of Farmingdale, was a retired social studies teacher acting as a chaperone.
The Mets held a moment of silence at Citi Field on Sept. 27 for Pelletiere and Ferrari.
Two days later, Jets coach Robert Saleh wore a Farmingdale High School T-shirt and offered condolences during his media availability.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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