Latest news with #ChaminadeHighSchool
New York Post
4 days ago
- General
- New York Post
Long Island students travel to Normandy, honor long-forgotten alum who died in D-Day invasion
Chaminade High School students prayed for hours at the gravesite of a long-forgotten alum who heroically died after the D-Day invasion of Normandy during a recent trip to France. Officials at the Long Island Catholic school had just found out about the tragic death of 1935 graduate John J. McDonald a week before an annual spring trip to the country. They learned of the Mineola man killed in action two days after Allied forces stormed the beaches in June of 1944 — and found out he's one of the thousands laid to rest at the massive cemetery there. Advertisement 5 Chaminade High School students visited France and prayed at the graveside of an alum who died after the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Courtesy Chaminade High School 'We never even thought that one of our alumni was buried over in France,' Chaminade president Brother Thomas Cleary told The Post. 'We know he married, had no children…I don't know if anyone has ever visited his grave.' Advertisement The school scrambled to rearrange its Easter break travel plans and had all 30 students, taking turns in small groups, pray for nearly an hour at the grave of the Army Air Corps lieutenant who was shot down two days after D-Day. 'It really set in. This man, he's buried here — alone in a foreign country without his family,' said junior Andrew Kerr, who was part of the sobering moment that paid respect to the bombardier who flew 71 missions with the Ninth Air Force. 'I just can't even imagine what it would be like, that one day you just get up, go to war, you don't see your family again.' 5 John J. McDonald graduated Chaminade High School in 1935. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Advertisement A hero's legacy — 81 years later Although many details about McDonald's life remain unclear, it is known that he was a track athlete at Chaminade who had a love for model airplanes before flying in one. McDonald even threw one he spent weeks building onto the school's football field during a homecoming game. 'You hear about it and you feel like it's so distant from you,' Kerr added. Advertisement 'But then you see his picture on the wall with the class of 1935 at school, and it all of a sudden it becomes 'wow, this really does relate to me.'' The 1918-born warrior first entered the Marines in 1937 and, after a medical discharge, re-enlisted in the Army in the thick of World War II. He wed while on leave in 1943. Brother Cleary is now trying to track down a member of McDonald's family to connect with and share the experience and learn more about him. 5 McDonald was a track athlete at Chaminade High School and loved planes. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post 5 Students Dylan Stampfel, Gianni Bono, Andrew Kerr and Maximilian Matuszewski posed for a portrait next to a plaque honoring McDonald. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post 'They were people like us, exactly like us,' junior Gianni Bono, whose brother is a Marine, said. 'It's an insane thing to think about.' Advertisement Being at the gravesite steps from the once bloody beaches of the Great Crusade to liberate Europe also gave the students a perspective not viewed in even an advanced placement curriculum. 'When you learn about this in history class, it's just a number,' said junior Dylan Stampfel. 5 Many details about McDonald's life remain unclear. Courtesy Chaminade High School 'But when you go there and you see the over 9,000 graves just lined up on the perfectly manicured lawn… it's very humbling.' Advertisement The teens also visited on a gorgeous day with polar opposite conditions to the notorious rain and fog that the beach storming is remembered for. 'What struck most of the students was that most of the beaches are now used recreationally,' said Marta Agosti, the school's world language chair who planned the trip. 'But I thought that is the best way in which you can say thank you to all the people that actually died there — so that we could continue with life.' Advertisement Junior Maximillian Matuszewski, who watched 'Saving Private Ryan' ahead of the trip, said Tom Hanks' core-shaking final words of 'earn this' have new meaning to him. 'It means to put my best foot forward always, and work as hard as I can,' he said. 'And to be thankful that I would never have to experience something that McDonald would.'
New York Post
06-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Epic high school faceoff now bleeds into Jalen Brunson-Jayson Tatum NBA ‘alpha dog' war
BOSTON — A decade later, Jalen Brunson is looking to beat Jayson Tatum. The stage is very different — the Eastern Conference semifinals instead of a nonconference high school showdown — but not all that much has changed between the two. Ten years ago, they were elite players, and that is still the case, the stars for their respective teams in this Knicks-Celtics playoff series. It was January 2015, when Tatum and Brunson put on a show in the Cancer Research Classic in Wheeling, West Va., the two combining for 87 points in a memorable contest that saw Tatum's Chaminade High School (Mo.) knock off Brunson's Stevenson (Ill.) 88-81.
New York Post
28-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Up-and-coming Long Island Dem running for county seat vanishes: ‘We are heartbroken'
An up-and-coming Long Island Democrat running for a seat on the Nassau County Legislature has been missing for nearly a week, according to cops. Petros Krommidas — a 29-year-old graduate of prestigious local Chaminade High School and a former student-athlete at Columbia University — was last seen Wednesday night in Baldwin wearing a camouflage shirt and gray sweats. The financial worker-turned-party hopeful was reported missing Thursday evening by his mother, and police believe he may have gone to the Long Beach area — where his family told police he loves to spend time on the boardwalk. Advertisement 3 Petros Krommidas, 29, has been missing for five days. 'We are heartbroken over the disappearance of Petros Krommidas,' Nassau County Democratic Committee Chairman Jay Jacobs said in a statement. 'Petros is a bright, driven young man who has been a strong voice for Democratic values. He is well respected by the community and represents the very best of our next generation of leaders. We are keeping Petros and his family in our prayers and remain hopeful for his safe return.' Advertisement Just two days before his disappearance, Krommidas spoke at a monthly meeting for the Nassau County Young Democrats alongside Joe Scianablo, who is running for Town of Hempstead supervisor, according to a post from his Facebook account. 3 Two days before his disappearance, Krommidas spoke at a monthly meeting for the Nassau County Young Democrats. Facebook/Petros Krommidas for Nassau County Legislator Krommidas' sister, Eleni, pleaded in a message on social media for anyone who has information to come forward. 'My brother is missing, and we are deeply worried,' his sister wrote. Advertisement Krommidas is a Long Island native who graduated from Chaminade in 2013 and later from the Ivy League university as a member of the rowing team and with multiple degrees in American history and business management, according to his LinkedIn. 3 The missing man poses during a birthday with family. Instagram / @petroskrommidas He worked in finance, including at Morgan Stanley and Sageview Capital, before jumping to politics in 2024 with a job as a Democratic Party field organizer, his account shows. His election primary is about two months away, on June 24, with the general election Nov. 4.
