‘I didn’t find my drug of choice until I was 22 years old. I had my wisdom teeth pulled. As soon as I put the opiates in my body, I knew that was it.’

Angela Forcina, Commack

“I picked up my first drink at 15, and I knew immediately that the alcohol gave me something that I didn’t have. It gave me peace.

“I didn’t find my drug of choice until I was 22 years old. I had my wisdom teeth pulled. As soon as I put the opiates in my body, I knew that was it.

“The addiction took over and got so bad that I wound up losing custody of my children. I almost died several times, but I knew it wasn’t my time yet. I was in five treatment centers before I finally surrendered and accepted that I was an addict.”

“Eventually I was facing charges. The judge said I could go either into another 28-day facility and get treatment or go to jail. I took the treatment. I kind of knew there was nowhere else to go. I went into treatment, and that was the first time that I really surrendered.

“After treatment, I had to be at Catholic Charities, which was my outpatient program, every day, and then I would go to Narcotics Anonymous, which became a very big part of my life.

“Then, after a year of having [an] immaculate-clean drug test, they gave me full custody of my kids back, and I was able to move back home with my family. I had been staying with my mom. And that’s another process that began. Learning how to step back into my role.

“For years, I had been doing hair in my basement. My mother had four hair salons, so I grew up in this industry. [After] about two years of being clean, I started to build up my following again. My business was booming. But a client had told the town I was working in my basement, and they threatened to take my license away.

“I looked at my husband and I said, ‘This is a sign from God. And this is just another sign that there’s something bigger out there for me. We must open a salon.’”

To every single person who is in pain and struggling with something, there is hope.

“I looked at my husband and I said, ‘I just need you to trust me.’ I had this burning desire. I feel like once you have a burning desire to fight for your own life, there’s a burning desire that comes with everything else that you do.

“I had watched my mother open a business. I had the skills and then put that together with a burning desire to live. It’s going to be an unstoppable situation.

“I was sitting with my husband, and he asked, ‘What are we going to name the salon?’ I said, ‘Hair addict.’ I love doing hair and I’m an addict in recovery. I’m in church basements three times a week saying, ‘Hi, I’m Angela. I’m an addict.’ We both loved the name. The butterfly, which is all over our brand, represents the transformation process. Our salon has been a huge success.

“This work is so significant to me because the women that come in here, I visually can see what the endgame is. It’s a transformation that we go through. What we create here, it’s more than just beauty and hair. It’s about life and overcoming obstacles.

“I’m now on the opiate task force of Huntington. It’s so important to help those who are suffering. It’s also important for me to give back and selflessly, transparently, vulnerably tell everyone who I am.

“I looked at my husband and I said, ‘This is a sign from God. And this is just another sign that there’s something bigger out there for me. We must open a salon.’”

“Today, I have 10 years clean. I am raising three beautiful children with my husband. I’ve owned this salon for six years. We blew up, and I have 25 employees now. I don’t believe it’s because I’m that amazing. I believe that God has a hand on my shoulder, and there was a bigger plan for me.

“To every single person who is in pain and struggling with something, there is hope, and there is a solution. And the way people find that solution is by people disclosing their pain and their truth.”

Interviewed by Maggie Rose Melito

‘Every time that I would go to the dentist, I went to spend time. He would show me a magic trick and then we’d perform them for the hygienists and the secretaries.’

Brandon Axelrod, Commack

“When I was 5, I tripped and fell in the shower. My two front teeth got pushed up into my gums. I remember like bleeding all over the place. My parents rushed me to their dentist. He sat me in the chair immediately, and I started laughing the whole time — and without the use of laughing gas. He was just so funny.

“He took a gauze pad that you used to stop the bleeding, and he put it in my mouth. He snapped his fingers, and he pulled out a red sponge ball that magicians use. It was in that moment that I knew I wanted to do learn to do that.

“Every time that I would go to the dentist, I went to spend time. He would show me a magic trick and then we’d preform them for the hygienists and the secretaries. He would show me X-rays and the different instruments, too. So, there was also this introduction to dentistry.

“He had mentioned to my parents at some point like, ‘Brandon should maybe go take lessons in New York City for magic.’ So that’s exactly what we did. As I was taking lessons, someone told me that I should add balloon twisting to my repertoire of tricks.

“I took a lesson for a dog, a sword and like snake. I thought, ‘This is super lame.’ I am 10 years old at this point. I know what kids want. It’s not the dog or the sword, it’s SpongeBob SquarePants, Peppa Pig, or Elmo cooking.

The kids who are the most shocked and surprised are the best. They ask me for a dog because they don’t, they’ve never seen anything more than that.

“I didn’t have too much of a knowledge base when it came to balloon twisting, but I started to realize if you learn one design, you can switch the colors to make another. That was like the beginning of me learning how I was going to diversify myself. I told myself, ‘I’m never going to say no to a request that comes my way. There’s got to be a way that I can figure it out.’ And I kind of just did.

“Essentially, kids give me all the inspiration. Not only do they know the movie and TV characters, they’re also my biggest critics. They’ll say, ‘You know Mario has the two yellow buttons on his overalls. You have to add that.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, of course I’ll add that.’

“Over the years I’ve gotten, ‘Maybe you can add like flames coming out of the dragon’s mouth.’ Their creativity inspires the shapes and the creations of everything.

“The kids who are the most shocked and surprised are the best. They ask me for a dog because they don’t, they’ve never seen anything more than that. And I’m like, ‘I’m going to make you something cooler. What do you like?’ And then when you start like opening those doors, the kids open up, and it’s a cool connection. And if they really do want a dog, I make a very detailed character with like multiple colors, and there’s like a tongue hanging out and like a dog tag.

“My business is all word of mouth, so it’s been special seeing people vouch for The Magical Brandini and saying how much they loved having me at an event.

“I’m in my third year at the Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine. I know I’ll eventually incorporate my craft into my office, just how my dentist did. I’m always going have my office loaded with the balloons and everything that I need to make any creation that’s requested.

“Right at the beginning of my magic-and-balloon career, my dentist was diagnosed with ALS. It disabled his magical mind and hands. He was no longer able to practice dentistry or to mentor me. His passing has motivated me to continue to develop my talent and to share the wonderful gift he dealt to me on the day we met, and I can only hope to someday, just like him, embody the magic of dentistry while putting patients at ease.”

Interviewed by Maggie Rose Melito

‘I followed the fake it ’til you make it strategy. Who am I to start a business? But I did.’

Betty Cole, Commack

“I went to SUNY New Paltz to become an art teacher. Finding art teaching jobs was hard. I became a first-grade teacher, spending years doing things other than art, but an artist must create.

“Eight years ago, I left my job. My husband and I went out for dinner. We shared a bottle of wine to celebrate what comes next. When we finished, the waiter threw the bottle in a bin. I asked if it was a recycling bin. He said, ‘No, we just throw it out.’ Well, I drank the wine, I paid for it. I took the bottle with me.

“I knew that I was going keep that bottle out of a landfill. That’s the cover story. Waste is something we have control over. Without a job, I had free time. I cleaned the bottle, brought it to the beach and started painting it. Someone saw me and gave me more bottles.

“One thing led to another. It became a full-time love and business. Bars, restaurants and vineyards saved the bottles for me. I made hand-painted bottles that became olive oil and vinegar dispensers or had lights inside to become home decor.

People come to my workshops for different reasons. It’s more than just coming to make something. It’s about the process that we go through for the time that we’re together.

“When I started to sell at art fairs, I noticed that people asked questions. They wanted to try and do it themselves. Well, I’m a teacher, artist, have a background in recreational therapy; let’s see if I could put it all together.

“I’m not going to say it was easy. I followed the fake it ’til you make it strategy. Who am I to start a business? But I did. I began to run painting workshops. My business is called Off Your Wall Art. People like to make things they can use. We repurpose wine bottles, make coasters, soap dispensers and charcuterie boards. I teach at libraries, do corporate team building, fundraising and [am] hired by people planning life events.

“My work has two components: One is I make and sell it. I’m in some retail stores, still do fairs and really love the people that I’ve partnered with. Teaching is the other part. I don’t want participants to think they’re attending art class; that will limit who the audience is. I structure programs so that everyone is successful.

“People come to my workshops for different reasons. It’s more than just coming to make something. It’s about the process that we go through for the time that we’re together.”

Interviewed by Shoshanna McCollum

‘Doing this work has been incredibly healing. It’s a way to turn pain into purpose.’

Commack

“My son, Luke, passed away last October just two days shy of his third birthday. He was little, but he had such a beautiful appreciation for life. He was always laughing and smiling. He loved being outside and following his big sister around. He was such a happy, sweet, loving little boy.

“Luke had a heart condition called subaortic membrane stenosis, where scar tissue was growing around his aortic membrane. He was scheduled for a routine surgery to remove the scar tissue but unfortunately ran into complications. He passed so unexpectedly, and so unfairly. We wanted Luke to have the most peaceful resting place, but we were not prepared for the costs of the arrangements. On top of the overwhelming grief, we were burdened with these decisions and finances. We were incredibly grateful for the support we received from our family and friends, and we were able to place Luke in the most beautiful location, where he gets sunshine all day. We soon realized that child loss is real and happens often, and many families do not have this amount of support to give their child what they deserve.

I decided to focus my energy on helping other grieving families and to give back the same support we received.

“I decided to focus my energy on helping other grieving families and to give back the same support we received. A month after Luke passed, we started our nonprofit, Luke’s Purpose. Our mission is to provide financial support to families who have lost a child, including funeral costs, medical bills and mental health bills. Doing this work has been incredibly healing. It’s a way of turning pain into purpose. We’ve helped 10 families so far.

“Our goal is to pay for funerals in their entirety, so parents can focus on their grief and healing. I also started a blog called Good Grief Moms. I wanted to share my own grief journey and my experiences, and hopefully connect with other parents who unfortunately had to go through this unimaginable tragedy. We want to keep Luke’s memory alive. He only knew happiness and joy in his short life, and we want to share his light, and his love.”

‘Everything about [my grandma] was what I want to emulate as a fan and why I’m so passionate.’

Commack

“My grandparents have been season-ticket holders since 1973. My parents are fans. My brother and I grew up going to games at Nassau Coliseum. When I was around 5 years old, I remember nudging my grandma next to me and asking, ‘Grandma, why did they blow the whistle?’ I learned my first rule, and from then on, it’s history.

“My grandma was an absolute badass. She eloped with my grandfather and had my uncle and my mother young. She focused on their education, plus my grandfather’s education first. She was the last to get hers. She became a lawyer at 50 years old. When it came to games, it was her time to be alive. She was my best friend when it came to hockey. Everything about her was what I want to emulate as a fan and why I’m so passionate. I want to continue her legacy.

“The necklace is the first and last pictures I have with my grandma. I feel like it encompasses all the love and time spent together throughout my life. Wearing this necklace feels like she’s still with me.

“The blue and orange lipstick started as a compromise. I was 16 and saw fans in the arena doing a full face of face paint. So I go to my mom, ‘Can we go to Party City so I can paint my face?’ She went, ‘Hell no.’ I found a company that makes blue and orange lipstick, and I said, ‘What if I just do my lips?’ She let me do it. People would come up to me and say, ‘That’s so cool.’ Little girls come up to me and ask what kind of lipstick I use. Any sports fan that wants to be proud, you can do a lipstick to accentuate your fandom.

“When I was about 17 or 18, people who had their own podcast reached out to me and said, ‘We see you’re a huge Islanders fan. We were wondering if we can get your aspect on the team.’ I was a guest on radio shows and podcasts, and people would say I should start my own. I started doing ‘Twitter Lives’ because I needed an outlet to rant after games, and I noticed the audience started to grow. I thought, ‘Why not? Let’s start a podcast.’ I had other hockey YouTubers I looked up to, and they all took me under their wing. They helped me set up so I can host the podcast in my dining room. My mother came up with the podcast name ‘Kim in the Crease.’”

Interviewed by Tracey Cheek

‘Goats are just like dogs; they’re funny and they’re playful.’

Commack

“I started doing yoga when I was married with two small children. My sister-in-law inspired me to take classes at the Huntington YMCA. I loved it so much! Then, my son got diagnosed with a brain tumor. He died nine months later; he was only 5 years old. In the aftermath, I separated from my husband, but I still had a daughter who I had to take care of. During that terrible time, yoga saved my life.

“Everyone in the yoga community was so supportive. One of my instructors told me I should become a teacher, and that was all the encouragement I needed. I have now been teaching yoga — including chair yoga — in gyms, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and hospitals for 25 years. I also enjoy the arts. I make glass flowers and bird feeders, and I sell my creations at craft fairs. It was at a fair that I met a lady named Donna who works at the North Shore Animal Center in Northport on a beautiful farm. I have always loved animals because they are so healing — you can’t be in a bad mood if you have a cat lying on your lap — so Donna and I started brainstorming about ways that we could combine animals and yoga.

We hope that people will enjoy the exercise, the animals and the farm. It’s a fun, healthy and meditative experience.

“On Easter Sunday 2018, we decided on goats. We embarked on a road trip to Florida, where I enjoyed my first goat yoga class! We purchased our first goats in Florida and drove back up to New York with them. Donna and I have since become good friends, and our herd of goats has grown from six to 14. We hold one-hour classes every Thursday afternoon, weather permitting. We also host birthday parties and bachelorette parties and occasionally run classes at street fairs. The goats are a riot; they all have their own names and personalities and instinctively know not to jump on anyone who is too small. Having a goat stand on your back is like getting a deep-tissue massage.

“Goats are just like dogs; they’re funny and playful. In October, we’ll even be dressing them up for Halloween in costumes that are handmade by Donna’s mother! They look really cute, but we have to be careful with the fabric because goats will eat anything! We hope that people will enjoy the exercise, the animals and the farm. It’s a fun, healthy and meditative experience.”

Interviewed by Meagan Meehan

‘What I want is to be part of something that could help people.’

Commack

“I’m a junior at Marist College in Upstate New York. While I have been here, I’ve seen a lot of people struggling, especially during COVID-19. The isolation and lack of social contact combined with all the pressures of being in school have been difficult for many people. I’ve seen several kids go home because they couldn’t handle it.

“If you were on a sports team, things were made even more difficult. Students who failed to meet the academic standard were ineligible to compete. I noticed people started getting kicked off teams because they couldn’t handle the balance. There has been a lot of social pressure too, especially for the freshmen, who couldn’t go out or make friends. They were kind of in a jail cell.

“Seeing all this and working with a bit of research, I realized it wasn’t just a Marist problem. It was a global issue amongst colleges around the world, where students were truly struggling to balance certain aspects of life.

Buddi is an app only available for college students and encourages emotional peer-to-peer therapy.

“I started this project to connect students with counselors. But as I interviewed people and gathered data, I realized that people don’t want a counselor, they want a friend, which was how I came up with the concept of Buddi.

“Buddi is an app only available for college students and encourages emotional peer-to-peer therapy. For instance, if you wanted to share with someone ‘I’ve been in your situation before. This is how I handled it,’ or just provide extra comfort.

“Students can communicate with other students from different campuses or filter specific issues, whether it be alcohol or domestic abuse. It’s anonymous as well, and there is a live chat so that people who need help instantly can get it.

“Balancing my workload can be a challenge. I have internships, academics, and I run for the track and field team. So, I have been working at night in order to make time to prioritize the app, which will be launching in mid-October.

“What I want is to be part of something that could help people. The companies that I have interned for are really making a difference, whether it be through volunteering or changing the landscape of medical health. I think that’s what really drives me, it is being able to cater to someone else’s needs.”

Interviewed by Dan Offner

‘When we left the hospital, they said the longest we’ve seen a kid live with this is five months.’

Commack

“Our daughter was born on Nov. 8, 2019 — the best day of our lives. Everything was storybook perfect for the first five weeks. December 15, that’s when every parent’s worst nightmare came into fruition. She would look downwards, and her eyes would just be stuck. We called a friend who is a radiologist and found this massive brain tumor. She was in surgery within 12 hours. After three hours, the surgeons came out. They said she was bleeding so much and couldn’t get the whole tumor out. We posted this on Facebook and all of our doctor friends were making calls on our behalf, asking around, and sending us information.

I’m not a particularly religious person, but I felt like that was like a divine intervention of some higher being watching over us.

“When we left the hospital, they said the longest we’ve seen a kid live with this is five months. But once we went home, she was just getting really sick. We took her back to the hospital and they said, we think maybe a couple of weeks. And then as we’re pulling onto our driveway, there’s a number calling and it’s the chief of neuro-oncology from St. Jude. His exact words were, ‘I’ve cured 12 kids of this before. I don’t know if I can cure her, but she’s too young. We have to try at least, don’t we?’ I opened the door to our house and my head just went down in prayer. I’m not a particularly religious person, but I felt like that was like a divine intervention of some higher being watching over us. We flew down five days later.

“We were in the hospital for almost a month just to get her stabilized. We started her on chemo. The words that you want to hear as a cancer family is something called gross total resection. That means they’ve gotten the entire tumor out. And in the case of our daughter, it was all or nothing. Even if a small sliver of tumor was left in her, she had a 0% survival rate. So, when the Dr. came out from surgery and said we got GTR, I collapsed in his arms and kissed his hands. That’s when we saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Our daughter is now almost 15 months old and just a happy, normal kid. It’s like she has no idea what happened last year. She’s crawling all over the place like a little rocket ship. It’s incredible. She really has been such a source of inspiration. Not just for us, but so many people.”