It’s surreal to think that this week marks the two-year anniversary of our tragic house fire. It’s been quite a journey, but we’re happy to report that we finally moved into our newly rebuilt home just in time for Christmas. Now that we are settled, we wanted to reflect and reach out with a public letter of thanks to the Manhasset community to express our deep appreciation for the help, support and well wishes offered to us by so many very kind and generous people.
When we began to list the individual names of people we wanted to thank, such as neighbors, teachers and friends, we realized that well over 50 families had either cooked food, bought gift cards or clothes, sent thoughtful letters or made visits and calls of encouragement that we literally felt we couldn’t complete it for fear of omitting even one.
Not to single out certain individuals, but we truly appreciate the assistance we received from those amazing people who swooped in to provide all kinds of help, including shelter and other dirty jobs, in the early days and without whom we wouldn’t have functioned, and you know who you are. The words ‘thank you’ just aren’t expressive enough. Please know in your heart that we will be forever grateful.
The best example of why Manhasset is so special is found in the many caring organizations around town who extended themselves for us and we wanted to especially thank and acknowledge them for their help:
Manhasset Lakeville Fire Department
Plandome Fire Department
Nassau County Police Department
Mayor, trustees and staff of the Village of Plandome Heights
Plandome Heights Women’s Club
Plandome Women’s Club
Munsey Park Women’s Club
Flower Hill Women’s Club
St. Mary’s Church
Knights of Columbus
Shelter Rock Church
Manhasset School Administrators & Teachers
Manhasset SCA & Manhasset SEPTA
Manhasset Girl Scouts
Manhasset Brownies Troops
Cornell Alumni
Boy Scouts Troops 10 & 71
The staff at Great Neck Inn
Designers + Builders Alliance of LI
Gino’s Restaurant
Villa Milano
Cafe Continental
Louie’s Restaurant
Gallery Couture
Indie Surf Shop
Bob’s Photo
Trapani Art & Frame
Manhasset Veterinary Hospital
And last but not least, the Manhasset Mother’s Group, Sunshine Committee, for organizing warm meals and all the families that cooked and delivered them to Hierarchy’s office, which we used as a home-base for the first few months of our transition—we were truly humbled.
Thank you, and God Bless you all! With much love and gratitude,
—The Costellos,
T.J., Andrea, Toby, Lexi
