Sports can be very powerful, there’s no question about that.
Whether it’s allowing people to escape reality for a few hours or just have the chance to hang with family and friends and enjoy a game, sports is an important part of so many peoples’ lives.
And, it can also go a long way in the healing process, which is why it was so special to see Islanders Co-Owner Jon Ledecky spend part of his Saturday visiting Long Island families who have a child battling an illness. Along with Islanders mascot Sparky, Ledecky visited five families with playoff swag packages and tickets to Sunday’s Game 4 against Carolina at UBS Arena.
One of the stops was to 10-year-old Jordan Scheinkopf, who is undergoing treatment for cancer, and his family in Massapequa.
“We love you,” Ledecky told Jordan. “We love your family. We love the Islanders. We share that love together. We all gotta root for the team and we gotta root for you.”
It was a special moment for the Scheinkopf family, including Jordan’s father Kevin, mother Marlene, and sister Sydney.
“I’m feeling emotional,” said Kevin. “I reached out to the Islanders and you guys are doing this for us. It’s unbelievable. He has a long road but he’s going to get better. We look forward to going on a long vacation when this is all done.”
“We know he’s going to be ok,” added Marlene. “He’s a fighter. He hasn’t once complained about being in the hospital all that time or taking his medicine. He’s just a very strong kid.”
Ledecky, Sparky, and the Islanders community relations staff also visited Cooper Graham, a toddler from Oceanside battling cancer; Kate O’Halloran, a 17-year-old from Bellmore who was just accepted to college and is undergoing cancer treatment; Vincent Cusimano, an 11-year-old fifth-grader from Massapequa who is battling cancer; and Alessia Serie, a 12-year-old Leukemia patient from Merrick.
The Islanders have always been so important to the Long Island community, and it’s gestures like Saturday’s that prove just how important they are to so many people. It also goes to show just how powerful sports can be, especially to those who are in a fight for their lives.
Follow Peter Schwartz on Twitter: @SchwartzSports
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