HEAliNG By HElPiNG oTHERs local woman launches the Cus Foundation

By JANEllE DAvis

Betsy Cusumano’s world changed forever in the fall of 2022 when her husband Tom, also known as “Cus,” unexpectedly took his life.

“He never suffered from any mental health issues. He was the most evenkeeled person you could meet, so it really blindsided us,” said Cusumano, who lives in the town of Clay, within the Baldwinsville school district.

Cusumano shared that her husband was one of the best people you could know and you couldn’t find anyone with something bad to say about him.

“He lived his life with kindness, selflessness, and generosity in everything he did. He was that kind of person, just a pure soul,” she said.

While there is no one way to deal with grief, Cusumano wanted to do something to honor her husband. While she said she is very grateful for the strong foundation of friends and family that she and her four children have, during her grieving, it occurred to her that some people who lose someone in this way may not have the same foundational support system.

What happens to the people that are left behind?

What happens to the survivors of suicide loss? That’s the gap that Cusumano wanted to fill. She wants to bring some hope and light into people’s lives who are trying to heal from such a traumatic loss and help them along their journey of healing.

So she started the Cus Foundation. The Cus Foundation is a nonprofit

By FRANcEs sHARPlEs

On Thursday July 13, TV program and YouTube channel America’s Best Restaurants arrived in Brewerton to interview restaurant owner Michael Piraino at his restaurant, Bear Creek.

From the first glance of the restaurant to the feel of the interview itself, it’s evident why.

“They [America’s Best Restaurants] walked us through everything,” said Piraino. “They explained B roll and A roll and all these different film terms, and we did a walkthrough of what we were going to do in the segments…it was really a fun experience.”

Piraino provided insight into the style of the channel’s filming, as well.

“The way they like to shoot is kind of off-the-cuff,” he said. “It’s like being on a talk show, and they don’t give you the questions in ad-