‘Creating Sorriso Kitchen has been a wonderful ride. Folks love our food and our mission.’

Jimmy Bellas, Glen Head

“In a Greek-Italian family, food is a big focus. I grew up in my family’s restaurant in Port Washington. After getting married, my career path took me into corporate America, but I always missed the restaurant business.

“My wife, Karen, and I have two sons, L.J., who has Down syndrome, and Nico. I would tell our boys countless stories about our restaurant and talk about someday opening a place again — a place where L.J. could work with us. Sadly, there are very few work opportunities available for the developmentally disabled.

We’ve established the Reasons to Smile Foundation Inc., a nonprofit charity to support services that will empower and train young adults with special needs to reach their potential within the workforce and community.

“Urged on by Nico, who said we should just ‘Go for it,’ we realized this was the time. L.J. was then 17 and would be graduating at 21. We decided to open a small restaurant [in Chatham, New Jersey]. With my background and Karen’s as a creative director and designer, we created Sorriso Kitchen, a farm-to-table eatery serving a breakfast and lunch menu with a focus on quality ingredients, excellent service, and a welcoming environment.

“We named the restaurant after our oldest son. Sorriso means smile, and L.J. brings a smile to everyone he meets. We wanted to create a safe place where L.J. could work and be a vibrant part of the community. We also thought about the other kids with disabilities and an idea was born: We would close the restaurant on Mondays and create a real-life classroom for kids with special needs.

“We partnered with L.J.’s school, and the program began. We now run programs for two schools where these kids can learn restaurant skills so they can find jobs after graduation. Each semester ends with a luncheon where graduates, accompanied by the Sorriso staff, serve meals to their family and friends and receive certificates of completion.

“It is such an amazing and uplifting event. Creating Sorriso Kitchen has been a wonderful ride. Folks love our food and our mission. As a result, we’ve established the Reasons to Smile Foundation Inc., a nonprofit charity to support services that will empower and train young adults with special needs to reach their potential within the workforce and community. We are excited about what the future will bring.”

Interviewed by Saul Schachter

‘I found myself right back where I started, at home, and I’ve never been happier to be back here on Long Island.’

Gabrielle Ross, Bellmore

“I was always in love with music. When I was 6 years old, I started singing lessons. By 13, I was exploring my passion for songwriting. However, my path took an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, an imbalance in my female hormones that caused cysts and other complications. Faced with this challenge, I realized that prioritizing my health was crucial for healing. As a teen, I developed a deep-seated passion for health and fitness, dedicating myself to workouts and a nourishing lifestyle.

“Throughout my musical journey, I’ve encountered various twists and turns. Initially, I pursued a career as a solo artist for an extended period before becoming a member of the band, Whatever We Are. Though the band has since disbanded, our music lives on. Presently, my primary focus lies on my new project as a solo artist. Additionally, I am directing my attention towards licensing and writing for commercials, among other ventures. The imminent completion of my new project brings me immense excitement.

I intend to infuse these invaluable experiences into my music, hoping to inspire and bring joy to listeners.

“Blending elements of pop, dance and acoustic music, I term my creation ‘music to move you.’ It possesses the power to stir emotions deep within, evoking tears, or ignite your desire to dance. Over the past few years, my personal journey has seen me traverse dark and challenging periods. However, these moments of pain have served as catalysts for growth and transformation, teaching me profound lessons along the way.

“I intend to infuse these invaluable experiences into my music, hoping to inspire and bring joy to listeners. I wrote a song called ‘Enough,’ and it was just before I moved out to California a couple of years back, and I talk about how I’m never turning back, and I found myself right back where I started, at home, and I’ve never been happier to be back here on Long Island. I think that’s when you’re truly happy on the inside; it radiates out. So I hope to just share that with people, whether it’s through music or cooking or whatever it is. Just shine light into the world. I think that’s what we’re all at the end of the day here to do.”

Interviewed by Starr Fuentes

‘My little Althea healed me in so many ways. She truly is a gift from heaven, and my grandmother is my guardian angel.’

Stephanie Folk, Huntington

“My third daughter, Althea, saved my life. I was diagnosed with bladder cancer while I was pregnant with her, my last child. At 21 weeks pregnant, I underwent a surgery to remove the tumor that was in Stage 2 — which is extremely rare for a woman under 40. The operation was successful, and the cancer was eradicated without any need for chemotherapy. The tumor would have gone undetected if I was not pregnant and would have undoubtedly caused me graver health problems.

“Althea was a miracle baby from the start. Before her, I suffered two miscarries in a row, and I thought a third child would never happen. But shortly after the new year in 2017, we saw a strong heartbeat and a growing baby. My doctors confirmed conception at 12/8 and due date 8/30, which are the same dates as my dear grandmother’s day of passing and her birthday. Of all the dates in a year, these were the ones on my sonograms, and that meant everything to me.

I believe in fate, and I believe in guardian angels and the protection of love that never dies.

“My grandmother passed away when she was 96, and I took care of her in her final years, so I felt like Althea was a gift from her. Then, 35 weeks into my pregnancy, I was induced early because the doctors said that Althea had a potential heart condition that ran the spectrum from a murmur to serious brain damage. Miraculously, Althea was born tiny, but completely healthy and beautiful.

“I always say that I’m an artist first, a mother next, then a wife and a teacher. The arts have always been central to me; my middle daughter, Madelyn, was named after a book, and both Scarlet and Althea are named after Grateful Dead songs.

“I am so thankful for my husband and daughters and my good fortune to still be alive and well. I believe in fate, and I believe in guardian angels and the protection of love that never dies. I am looking forward to watching my girls grow up, exploring more artistic adventures, meeting new people, and growing as a human being with a focus on integrity, creativity and love. My little Althea healed me in so many ways. She truly is a gift from heaven, and my grandmother is my guardian angel.”

Interviewed by Meagan Meehan

‘You should never be limited in the way you think because that’s the one freedom you have that nobody can take from you.’

Francesco Marasco, Westbury

“I was born in Calabria, Italy, and my family and I immigrated in 1987. My father was always about the American dream, so he started different businesses. When I got out of high school, I attempted to go to college, but it wasn’t for me. I went to work with my father in home improvements, landscaping and construction. Around 2002, we decided to pursue the marble business. I flew to Italy and stayed with my grandparents and worked out of a factory. While I was doing that, my father built our original workshop and showroom here. I took over the company in 2006.

In all aspects of my life, I don’t believe that we’re limited. If you want something enough, you’ll figure out a way.

“In 2011, I came across gemstone materials like amethyst and tiger eye; things that were used in jewelry were now being formed into large-format slabs that can be customized into different products. I was just turning 30 and read a book from the 1920s, ‘Think and Grow Rich.’ It was about the way you think about yourself and what you believe you can achieve. I saw my life flash before my eyes. I thought, if you can change anything right now, what would you do? What would you create? I wanted to develop a brand with the new material, and I decided to name it after a nickname given to me by my grandmother. She used to call me Zecca Di Nana. I twisted the name as a kid. That’s how I came up with Zicana. I didn’t want, necessarily, my personal name so I kind of used the nickname.

“People thought I was crazy. I built a gallery strictly for these materials. The market is always shifting. I always broke the boundaries. I didn’t just repeat what everybody was doing. I was always fascinated with business in general. Watching my father start and sell businesses inspired me more into being an entrepreneur. He was always a risk-taker and didn’t let anything stop him. That definitely impacted me. In all aspects of my life, I don’t believe that we’re limited. If you want something enough, you’ll figure out a way.

“I don’t get discouraged when things don’t happen because there were always better outcomes that came from those things not happening. You have to believe in what you want, your overall goals. You should never be limited in the way you think because that’s the one freedom you have that nobody can take from you.”

Interviewed by Liza Burby

‘I cannot imagine watching the world go on around me and not being able to interact with it to the best of my abilities.’

Nadya Resnick, Merrick

“My dad, Wayne, passed away two months ago. In April 2022, he was diagnosed with ALS [amyotrophic lateral sclerosis], also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The news came as a shock to us all. It first began with a fall while my dad was on duty as a Nassau County police officer. He thought it was a moment of clumsiness until it happened again, and he went to the neurosurgeon and got the diagnosis. ALS is a terrible neurological disease in which your muscles start to weaken, and the things that we take for granted every day, as big as walking to as little as scratching an itch, get stripped away. I only heard of ALS once when I was in middle school, when the Ice Bucket Challenge was trending.

Tomorrow isn’t promised for anyone. Communication is key.

“Since then, I’ve heard nothing about it. It is quite a shame that a disease so debilitating barely has any audience. It seems like only those who’ve been through it know about it. I guess you can say they’re the lucky ones. Ignorance is bliss. My mom and dad adopted me and my four siblings from Kazakhstan. Growing up in a big family was super fun, but it also led to communication problems when I was a teenager. There was a long time when I didn’t speak to my parents. I tend to think a lot about those times now. Communication became the most important thing when it came to coping with my dad’s illness.

“Over the past year, my dad’s ability to speak went down to a hoarse, faint whisper. We communicated with him through an alphabet board. This made it super frustrating for my dad. His mind was all there, and he heard and saw everything, but couldn’t get the words out. I saw the sadness in his eyes when people pivoted the conversation when the topic wasn’t even finished yet. It was absolutely heartbreaking. I cannot imagine watching the world go on around me and not being able to interact with it to the best of my abilities. This situation made me grateful for what I have. Tomorrow isn’t promised for anyone. Communication is key. Do not let your grudges get in the way of building back relationships. Wake up overjoyed that you can walk, talk and eat, and watch your mindset flip. And most importantly, hug your dads.”

Interviewed by Hannah Fusaro

‘I really turned this pain into purpose, and it just continues to get better and better … I’m no longer scared.’

Cody Louis Cohen, Hicksville

“I was going through so much in my life from 2014 to 2020, where I was suffering from a very rare illness, Granulomatosis with polyangiitis. I was fighting for my life. My father ran off, so it was just my mother, my brother and sister and me having to fend for ourselves.

“And what came to mind was, I wonder if people who live in these estates suffer, too. Or is it all perfect, you know? From my head, I’m assuming they have a perfect picture of life. If you have a house like that, you know, must be a great family, must have a lot of friends, too. But I wonder what goes on behind the door. Is it as perfect as it looks?

“But I know looks can be deceiving. So then I came up with this idea for a show that portrays the truth. I was inspired by a lot of my own experiences growing up on Long Island. I would hear things about these families that I thought were perfect, and it made me realize we all have issues and we all struggle.

“It was here in Oyster Bay at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park where it all started, where I was inspired to write ‘Gold Coast.’”

“I used to come here to clear my head, walk down the water, just take a breath even when it felt like I was on quicksand. I was inspired to write the pilot for my show because after everything that I was going through in my life, from my illness to other personal issues. I would come here, and I would stare at these beautiful mansions across the water.

Growing up, I could never really say my feelings toward this environment.

“The show is called ‘Gold Coast,’ and it’s about six close friends on Long Island and how each one of them is hiding a secret, or they have an issue they can’t reveal and how they’re feeling the pressure from their family, trying to keep up that perfect picture of life. But as life always goes, their issues are coming above the surface that they tried to hide for so long. It shows the kids are living in this moment, but they’re also carrying the burden of their parents’ pasts and why they moved.

“Writing this show really healed me. Although it wasn’t 100 percent based on my life, it was the first time I felt like my experiences were being heard. Growing up, I could never really say my feelings toward this environment. And now having written this show, I feel free. This is how I feel, and you can disagree with me and that’s OK, but this was my interpretation of my experiences.

“The thing about chronic conditions is that they are forever. People sometimes think, ‘Oh, he was sick, but he’s fine now.’ I have my good days, I have my bad days. And at the end of the day, I still deal with a lot of trauma. I am so thankful for my mom, my brother and sister and my girlfriend. We are a tight family, and we all lean on each other.

“And that’s the most exciting thing I can tell people. I really turned this pain into purpose, and it just continues to get better and better. And now I’m excited for the future. I’m no longer scared.”

Interviewed by Maggie Melito

‘One day I just woke up and I was like, I want a future, I want a family and I need a change.’

Stiz Santosa, Freeport

“I was actually born and raised in the boroughs, and then I moved to Long Island. I am a first generation American, and my parents were born in Indonesia. They had to work a lot because they had to support the family. I was put in pretty dangerous situations (at no fault of my parents) where I was basically emotionally abused, which caused a lot of traumas as well.

“Before that I was always a happy, very active kid. However due to the abuse, I went to drinking and drugs growing up. I went in and out of jail three times. I think it was partly due to just being lost and not having a goal and self-confidence in myself — just past trauma. One day I just woke up and I was like, I want a future. I want a family, and I need a change.

I wanted to make a name for myself and have my own business.

“I was an athlete all my life. I swam and I competed in New York City street-handball. I lost touch with sports due to that trauma, which I didn’t realize until later on when I had numerous amounts of therapy. Due to the therapy, I healed and that’s where I am now. I got my personal training certification, and I became super business-oriented and goal-oriented. I just surrounded myself with amazing people — people that I looked up to professionally, financially, and I just learned a lot from them. I think that is how and why my business has grown and so fast.

“I just knew that sports were something that I naturally was good at. I wanted to make a name for myself and have my own business. I was tired of working for others. Stiz Santosa is my brand. I am an independent personal trainer as well as a brand ambassador. I am a firm believer that you need to find out what you are great at and just excel at that and money will come to you. That is basically what I did. Now I just help others with their fitness. But it is not just physical. It’s also emotional and mental because when I shared my story of what happened to me and my journey along the way, a lot of people gravitated towards that. I am just happy that I can help people.”

Interviewed by Victoria Bell

‘Noah taught me how to be brave and strong, even through the most terrifying times of our lives.’

Ashley Sagistano, Lake Grove

“Our son, Noah, was the most amazing baby boy. He was so strong and resilient and lit up a room with his big bright eyes and beautiful shining smile. Noah was born on February 2, 2022. Noah was diagnosed with pulmonary stenosis, double outlet right ventricle and ventricular septal defect. At 11 days old, he underwent open heart surgery and received a post Blalock-Taussig shunt. The following day, he went in for his first of several heart catheterizations, where he received stents and ballooning.

“After six long weeks in the hospital, this little warrior finally came home to meet his big sister, Emma. At about 6 months old, he went in for his pre-surgical heart cath, followed by his second open-heart surgery. Noah was tube-fed for the first nine months of his life and diagnosed with failure to thrive. It was a constant battle to feed him. After working with a consultant, we successfully weaned him off the feeding tube in 10 days. He went from drinking nothing to 20 ounces a day by bottle. He received feeding therapy and nutrition support regularly. Soon he was eating his favorite Domino’s pizza!

“Unfortunately, in October, the findings from a CT scan showed this surgery did not do what it was intended to do. His pulmonary artery did not grow. Noah went in for his third cardiac catheterization. They were supposed to intervene with stents and balloons; however, this procedure was unsuccessful. “He had bleeding in his lungs, which halted the procedure. He spent a week recovering from this procedure. Because this procedure was unsuccessful, Noah needed an extremely invasive and extensive surgery, which had to be at Stanford children’s hospital in California. This surgery is called pulmonary artery rconstruction. Noah finally received his 15-hour surgery in July. Unfortunately, due to complications post-surgery, Noah passed away. He was only 17 months old, but he made such an impact on everyone he met and others he didn’t meet. He was an Earth angel.”

I believe [Noah] was put on this Earth to make people around him smile, be happy and teach us all how precious life really is.

“I believe Noah’s life and his challenges helped to teach us about the strength of the human spirit and resilience. Strangers followed Noah’s journey and were crushed to hear of his passing. He impacted those he knew. In his death, Noah has reminded us to slow down, stay mindful, enjoy every day, take nothing for granted, be kinder, be more patient, invest in relationships and laugh more.

“Noah changed me. Noah taught me how to be brave and strong, even through the most terrifying times of our lives. I believe he was put on this Earth to make people around him smile, be happy and teach us all how precious life really is. Although his time with us was too short, his legacy will live on forever. As his big sister, Emma, said, ‘Mommy, Noah is so proud of you.’ I hope we continue to make Noah proud and advocate for babies like him. We’ll love him always and forever.”

Interviewed by Starr Fuentes