Suffolk Reporter

The Town of Brookhaven and Sachem North High School recently held a ceremony to honor the memory of Matthew “Dezy” DiStefano, a beloved teacher and coach who passed away in 2020 due to Stage 4 Kidney Cancer. The event took place on January 27, where local officials, students, faculty, family, and friends gathered to rename the intersection at Smith Road and Manor Road as Matthew “Dezy” DiStefano Way. This location is directly across from Sachem North High School, where DiStefano worked for 19 years.

Matthew DiStefano was inducted into several halls of fame during his lifetime: the Sachem High School Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017, the College of Mount Saint Vincent Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018, and the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame in 2020. After being diagnosed with cancer in early 2019, he founded the “Dezy Strong Foundation” to support other cancer patients.

The ceremony featured speeches from DiStefano’s family members and local officials including Supervisor Dan Panico, Councilman Neil Manzella, and Councilman Neil Foley. Additionally, students from Sachem North High School performed a rendition of Maroon 5's song "Memories."