Toms River East Li le Leaguers Get Heroes Welcome A er Championships Man’s Heart A ack Shows Need For More EMS Coverage

By Stephanie Faughnan LAVALLETTE

– Everyone likes a story with a happy ending, and this one is no exception. A barrier island man’s recent brush with death turned

(EMS - See Page 5)

By Chris Christopher

TOMS RIVER

–

It was a perfect day for baseball - sunny with temperatures in the mid-80s, low humidity and a pleasant breeze.

And it was a perfect day to honor the Toms River East Little League All-Star team, which enjoyed a near perfect summer.

There was a third-place finish in the United States in the 13-under Little League Intermediate (50/70) Baseball World Series at Max Bayer Park in Livermore, Calif., a San Francisco suburb. There was a fifth-place finish in the world and a 2-2 record in the Series. There was an Eastern Regional championship. There was a New Jersey state championship. There was a Section III championship. There was a District 18 championship. And there was a 15-2 overall record. The team was honored with a parade which began at the East Dover Fire Company on Fischer Boulevard and ended at the Toms River East Little League Sports Complex. Leading the parade was a Toms River Township Police Department squad car. The team (Championships - See Page 4)

Jersey Shore Shell Art Travels Worldwide

By Alyssa Riccardi JERSEY SHORE

–

What started out as a part-time hobby collecting shells at the beach has grown into a worldwide phenomenon of colorful, decorated shells.

“I’ve always liked to do beach walks and pick up anything interesting on the beach. At one point I had so many shells my husband asked me what I was going to do with all of them,” Carrissa Caramico Chapkowski said. “I decided to paint them and give them away. It defi nitely gave me an excuse to do more beach walks.”

Carrissa started painting shells four years ago and decided to share her ideas by creating a

Facebook page called “Jersey Shore Shells.”

Carrissa said she fi rst had the idea after coming across a similar group in Florida.

“I vacation in Florida once a year and I thought it would be nice to paint shells not just one week out of the year, but for the entire year. I thought

(Shell - See Page 14)

School Board Candidates Named

By Chris Lundy TOMS RIVER

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The deadline to be on the ballot for the Board of Education election has passed, and the playing field has five candidates competing for three, three-year terms.

School board elections are nonpartisan, in theory anyway. That means that candidates can’t say that they are the Republican choice or the Democrat choice. Instead, they are al- lowed a short slogan. Ashley Lamb, Diane Oxley, and Paola Pascarella are running under the slogan Vote Common Sense. James Capone and LeRoy J. Marshall are running under the slogan For The Students.

Lamb is the only incumbent in the race. The other two board members whose terms are up at the end of the year are not running for re-election. One of them is Lisa Contessa.

(School - See Page 14)

Championships:

Continued From Page 1 rode atop an East Dover Fire Company No.4 Station 28 fire truck. A ceremony followed at Gaynor Field, named for Mike Gaynor, manager of the Toms River East American All-Star team which won the Little League World Series in 1998 in South Williamsport, Pa.

The 2023 team left the truck and entered the field where it exchanged fist bumps with league president Tommy Noone. The team posed for numerous photos.

Noone spoke briefly, congratulating the team.

“First and foremost,” he said, “congratulations. Congratulations to this group of boys. They worked very hard for this.”

A colorful sign containing the names of the team members and the history of the team was unveiled. Team members received personalized posters.

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Manager Mike Mendes, who competed in football under legendary coach Warren Wolf at Brick Township High School and played baseball for the Green Dragons, followed, stating, “I am pretty much also at a loss for words. I am extremely proud of the team’s hard work and dedication. They gave up another summer for baseball. We went from hanging out to going on a plane to California. We received texts that said, ‘Congratulations. Keep it going.’

“The boys played on ESPN+. The bars were packed with people watching the team play. The boys were on national television. Their hometown supported them very much. It was very much appreciated. You guys deserve this sign and more.”

Noone followed, stating, “Any fundraising helps with the maintenance of our fields and our All-Star endeavors. Congratulations boys.”

Noone told the media after the events, “There is a lot of pressure and history here. There is a lot to live up to. Towns want to beat us. Our kids want it, the pressure. This team wore the retro jerseys worn by our 1998 team. It’s 25 years later and we’re in a World Series again. Pretty impressive.

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“This team was successful because of its chemistry. The boys have played together for a long time since they were young and it definitely helps them. They know each other and everyone plays the same position. Our pitching greatly improved over the year. We played in a lot of one-run games. That comes down to good defense and good pitching.”

Center fielder-pitcher Brady Gillen of the 2023 team told the media after the events, “We have been with each other for a while. We have always had success. We have always listened to our coaches. Everyone knows our name across New Jersey, across the nation and across the world. We had a swift style of play. We had a lot of power. We had a lot of speed. We had a lot of big hitters who came through at crunch time. I felt we would do as well as we did. We believed in ourselves and in our coaches. We felt we would make it to California. “We played to the end. We played tough teams to beat from start to finish. We were respectful. We talked no smack. We respected our opponents. We just played our game.”

Speaking to the media after the events, manager Mendes said, “We did so well because they are a team. They are friends off the field and are real supportive of each other. We told them at the start of the tournament season, ‘If you want to go far, you have to support each other.’ I will take luck all day long. A baseball bouncing four inches one way or the other could wind up being the difference in the game. There is definitely some luck in competition.

“From the beginning, we talked about responsibility in baseball and in life. We told the boys, ‘It’s not what happens to us. It’s how we respond.’ For the most part, the kids responded pretty positively. I would like to see this team leave a legacy as one of a complete team. In every game, there was a new hero. In each win, a different kid was a hero. It’s a team sport. The best team wins as you can tell by our record.”

The team won the District 18 title 13-5 over Beachwood at the Barnegat Little League. It captured Section III, downing Lincroft 3-2 at the Middletown Little League. It won the state title 1-0 over Stafford at the Middletown Little League. It bested a Pennsylvania team 4-3 to win the Eastern Regional title at the Dover Little League in Delaware. In All-Star play, the pitcher’s mound was 50 feet from home plate. Bases were 70 feet apart.

Third baseman Jake Gallagher played big biceps baseball against Beachwood, blasting a two-run home run and a three-run homer in the same inning.

“He is a big kid with a lot of strength in his legs,” manager Mendes said.

Second baseman Michael Mendes batted .250. Other team members were shortstop Jayce Cappello, outfielder-pitcher Tyler Todaro, first baseman-pitcher Logan Macchia, first baseman-pitcher-outfielder Christian Mascaro, catcher Ryan McHugh, outfielder Bryce Tomitz, pitcher Deklin Sloan, first baseman Stan Citkowicz and outfielder J.R. Moltz. Gallagher, who hit three homers and one double in All-Star play overall, drove in eight runs and batted .389. Cappello hit .311 and added one homer and one double and drove in six runs. Todaro batted .312. He struck out six hitters in 11 innings. Macchia batted .333. He hit two homers and one double. He drove in nine runs.

Mascaro slugged three homers and three doubles. He drove in eight runs. McHugh batted .561 and hit one homer, two triples and four doubles and knocked in 13 runs. Tomitz batted .326 and hit two homers and five doubles. He drove in 11 runs. Sloan drove in four runs and whiffed nine in 15 innings. Gillen batted .351, hit two doubles and drove in four runs. He struck out two in two innings. Moltz batted .267.

In a four-hitter against Stafford, Mascaro struck out 10 and walked two. He tossed 97 pitches, including 70 for strikes. He stroked two hits in three at-bats and scored one run.

In a 3-2 nine-inning win over the Nutley America East Little League All-Stars in the state semifinals, Macchia whiffed 15 and allowed two runs, including one earned, on three hits. He walked none. Of his 99 pitches, 71 were strikes. Todaro pitched a perfect ninth. He threw five pitches, including three for strikes. Mendes is the director of guidance operations in the Freehold Regional High School District. His coaches were George Gallagher, a New Jersey State Police Trooper, and Ed Todaro, a teacher at the Tinton Falls Middle School. Mendes noted the team has won five district titles, three sectional titles, two state championships and one Eastern Regional crown.

“I am just proud of the kids and the All-Stars,” manager Mendes said.

EMS:

Continued From Page 1 into triumph thanks to quick responders and top-tier medical care.

However, Neil Torino’s tale of survival has left his wife Linda with a sobering realization. She submits that timing is everything. The outcome could have been tragic if a heart attack had struck her husband just a few hours earlier.

During the summer, an ambulance is stationed on the barrier islands between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Linda fi rmly believes Neil owes his life to the fact that his close call unfolded within the ambulance service’s active hours. This conviction has motivated Linda to champion the critical value of swift medical assistance and emphasize the necessity for round-the-clock emergency services.

Linda recounted the discovery of her husband’s heart condition in 2016. Neil’s cardiologist initially perceived Neil’s physical condition as unremarkable and noted his positive track record with regular cardiac assessments.

“I had heard that a cardiac CT scan was the most comprehensive test for the heart and asked the doctor to order one,” shared Linda. “He told me he didn’t think it was indicated and wasn’t sure the insurance company would pay for it. I insisted.”

As it turned out, Linda’s persistence paid off. The CT scan revealed some troublesome areas, and Neil was promptly set up for catheterization and potential placement of a couple of stents. It turns out the problem was worse than expected. Neil had three blockages and needed open heart surgery.

Since the surgery seven years ago, Neil has been under the regular care of his cardiologist in north Jersey. More recently, Neil’s blood pressure started to rise, and the couple figured it was due to stress at work. Neil also noticed that he became increasingly fatigued and couldn’t fi nish his workout routines.

Again, the regular cardiac assessments came back without any issues. In retrospect, Linda can’t help but wonder if she should have pressed for another cardiac CT scan.

Neil’s retirement from his job in April left him with less stress. With the summer months coming, the couple looked forward to spending time at their shore house in Lavallette. On June 10 at 9 a.m., Linda was upstairs when she heard a strange noise.

“My husband was outside digging a tree,” Linda said. “Apparently, the exertion of digging out a tree is very similar to shoveling snow. People have heart attacks and die.”

According to Linda, Neil felt weak and ready to pass out. He somehow made it into the house and slid himself to the floor. Linda heard a strange sound and came down to fi nd Neil had somehow made it up onto a chair. One look at her husband, and she knew he was in trouble.

Neil told his wife that he couldn’t catch his breath. A call to 911 resulted in an ambulance marked Toms River emergency services arriving within minutes. The dispatcher stayed on the line until she was sure help was there.

Fortunately, the couple’s daughter was staying at a house right up the street and was able to drive her mother to follow the ambulance to Community Medical Center back on the mainland. The reality of the crisis reached a pinnacle when the emergency vehicle came to a halt at the Acme in Ortley Beach.

“As we were rounding the bend on Route 35 to go onto Route 37, we saw them,” said Linda. “The ambulance was there, the Toms River paramedic vehicle and three cop cars.”

Linda immediately knew the situation had become even more dire. As she and her daughter approached the scene, they were directed to head to the hospital. Linda subsequently learned that Neil had coded four times in the ambulance and had been successfully revived by the first responders.

En route to the hospital, Linda recalled the last time she’d been inside Community Medical Center. Two decades had passed since Linda visited a patient, and Linda remembered she was not overly impressed. The memories heightened her concerns about the care her husband would receive. However, Linda’s feelings changed almost immediately.

“This was not the same hospital,” Linda shared. “Everything is brand new, and everyone was incredibly efficient.”

During Neil’s open heart surgery, the couple had the advantage of speaking with their son, a medical resident at the University of Pennsylvania. That time around, they had the luxury of carefully choosing the right medical professional. However, in the current situation, they were faced with a crisis, and when Neil reached the hospital, time was of the essence, leaving no room for extended decision-making.

Linda said the hospital’s top interventional cardiologist, Dr. Mohammed Haris Usman, came to speak with her in a small room. He said the plan was to take Neil for catheterization and possible placement of a couple of stents. Dr. Usman spoke with the couple’s doctor son, who advised Linda to sign the papers for the procedure.

The wait seemed indefi nite, but all turned out well in the end. A nurse who had been present in the catheterization lab during the procedure personally guided the family to the ICU waiting room. Linda recounted that the nurse became emotional herself while sharing how resilient Neil had been and highlighting the spirit of teamwork that united them all.

“I cannot sing the praises higher of Toms River Community Hospital,” said Linda. “I read online that the state of the art cath lab was just installed 18-20 months ago with a $2.5 million endowment. That’s what Usman had to work with, and he was also trained at the University of Pennsylvania.”

The frequency with which the doctor and the staff checked on her husband also left Linda impressed. Neil quickly earned the nickname “miracle man” and, fortunately, emerged without any damage to his vital organs.

However, Neil’s hospitalization came with another revelation. He was afflicted with an inherited condition known as familial hyperlipidemia, which had gone undetected until then. Left untreated, this condition can (EMS - See Page 8)