A YUM Publication
No. 6 Vol. 3
MARCH 2024
Communities Rally Around Stephanie Sorrentino
Stephanie Sorrentino drops the ceremonial first puck on January 27 at Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange (credit: Mordy Photo)
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By Steve Sears
hen former Hackettstown resident and Hackettstown High School student, Stephanie (Cucinella) Sorrentino, was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer on May 11, 2023, the universe neglected to consider that you do not mess with a
tiger. A Hackettstown Tiger, that is – and their friends. Mount Olive-Hopatcong-Hackettstown head hockey coach, Ryan Tatarka, and Sorrentino have been friends since they were five years old, and when he knew his lifelong friend and classmate needed help, he sprang into action, as did others. Tatarka said, “We've stayed in touch throughout the years. I knew that she was a teacher in Millburn. I heard about her diagnosis through the grapevine and social media over the summer after she had gotten married. I thought immediately we should do something as a program. We have the platform to be able to do the right thing here.” Sorrentino, 30, had already benefitted by goodness courtesy of a special volleyball game between Hackettstown High School and Millburn high School on October 6, 2023, so Tatarka contacted the Millburn High School athletic director about an open date in the MOHOHA hockey schedule and asked if the school’s team would be interested in a January 27 benefit game at Richard J. Codey Arena in West Orange. All were on board. Sorrentino, her husband John, and many family members attended the late January contest. She said, “When the game started, we had a little pregame ceremony again, and it was just awesome to be able to share our story to all the fans that came out for both teams, some of which were my old students, and some of my current colleagues were there.” And Sorrentino the evening of the 27th was happy to report that, after a recent procedure, a pathology report had declared her cancer free. She said, “It has just been nice to
Stephanie and John Sorrentino (credit: Mordy Photo)
see the outpouring of love. It was really nice to be able to share that I was cancer free with the two communities that came together to help out.” And there is a PSA, an important message, that Sorrentino wants to get out. She said, “We did catch this early. Life gets so busy, and day to day you are not really thinking about stuff like this. But prioritizing your health and making sure that you do get to the doctor and are doing self-checks and things like that are important.” Donations can still be sent to a Venmo account titled "Steph Donation,” and cash or checks payable to the MOHS Booster Club to PO Box 648 Flanders NJ 07836. Also, donations can be mailed to the Hackettstown, Hopatcong, and Mount Olive High Schools, “Attn: hockey team.”
Wishing everyone a Happy Easter