Dan Grogan knew that something was going on.
His parents had told him this past Friday that he would have to come home early from school and everything had been worked out with his scheduled tennis match for St. Anthony's High School. So, while he knew that a surprise was coming, he had no idea what he was about to be in store for.
Especially when family and friends, including family he doesn't see very often, began to show up at the Grogan home in Farmingdale. Then, he peeked outside and it all started to make sense.
"I saw the Islanders truck and got an idea," said Grogan.
The 15-year-old Grogan, who also wrestles in addition to playing tennis for the Friars, was the final visit on the Islanders' "Surprise and Delight" event this past Friday. Grogan completed chemo treatments earlier this month and was surprised by the Islanders with tickets for him and his family to an Islanders playoff game against Carolina this week at UBS Arena.
Islanders Co-Owner Jon Ledecky, the Islanders mascot Sparky and members of the Islanders community relations team were on hand to present Grogan with a personalized jersey, Islanders swag bags for him and his family and Islanders hats for all of the family and friends on hand.
"It's such a privilege to have this community trust in the New York Islanders," said Ledecky. "The Islanders Children's Foundation, Anders Lee's Foundation (Jam Kancer In The Kan) and the other players' foundations all chip in here to bring some joy and happiness to families that are trying to get their own victories. They're trying to win their own cup which is get these kids back to health."
Peter Schwartz
Before arriving at the Grogan household, the Islanders visited three other families on Long Island.
The first stop was the Brohm family in Merrick as the Islanders visited Kevin Brohm and his children Ben and Ella. Kevin has been battling color cancer for the last two and a half years and unexpectedly lost his wife this past fall.
Then it was out to Suffolk County and the Laugh Family as the Islanders visited 26-year-old Brendan Laugh who was diagnosed with leukemia. The Islanders surprised him and the Islanders along with his parents Dawn and Tom.
And then the Islanders visited the Musso family in Kings Park. 12-year-old Anthony spent months in multiple hospitals recently including Boston Children's Hospital. Anthony was with his parents Dan and Joe along with his brother John when the Islanders arrived.
At the Grogan home in Farmingdale, it was all smiles with chants of "Let's Go Islanders" and "YES YES YES".
"This is so heartwarming and it shows how in touch (the Islanders) are with their fan base," said Grogan's father Kevin. "They have great fans and it's a great organization that gives back. I'm speechless."
"It's been a long six months so we appreciate everything," said Dan's mother Desiree Grogan.
Peter Schwartz
Dan is a huge Islanders fan and recently went to an Islanders game as a result of a night arranged by his girlfriend through Captain Anders Lee's Jam Kancer In the Kan foundation. That was a night to remember and it ultimately spiraled into the Islanders surprising him at home and a day he'll never forget.
"I was able to meet Anders Lee at the game and that was really exciting to sit really close on the ice," said Grogan who was overwhelmed by the Islanders' visit.
And now he'll be going to a playoff game this week with his parents and sister Keira.
"It's insane. It shows how much they care. It shows that they're people too. It caught me off guard. I really appreciate it. It shows people care for me and are here to help me through the struggles and the treatments."
And just like with the other three families that the Islanders contingent visited on Friday, the hope is that Dan Grogan can return to a normal healthy life and he seems to be trending in that direction.
"Dan Grogan is well on his way," said Ledecky. "Hopefully he is done with chemotherapy and he is going to be back making it happen. He's a great athlete and we're so happy we can bring some joy into the Grogan family household by inviting them to come to the Islanders game."
And the Islanders run to the playoffs was certainly inspiring to Dan.
"It's been a rough few months," said Grogan. "So, watching the games helped get me through it."
As the Islanders continue to battle Carolina in the playoffs, they wanted to make sure that they could brighten the spirits of some members of Islanders Country with Friday's "Surprise and Delight" visits. The Islanders have always been active in the community and this Friday was a perfect example of that.
