help out long island family

[Guest guest]

Some parents have come together to help out Eastman who lost her 4 year old son, with autism, in a pool accident last week. In the obit in Newsday, it mentioned to not send flowers, but to contribute directly to the family. Please read further to help out. Thanks.

- Heeren

NAALI President

To add your check to the group please make it out to:

Eastman

and mail by this friday to:

Dorothy i

27 Probst Dr.

Shirley, NY 11967

You can also mail a check/letter directly to the family. The address is listed below.

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Here is the letter we are going to send to . If you would like to add your name or organization, please email me your information. (christine@...) Whatever you would like listed- name, email, phone, etc. We hope to mail the letter and checks out together next week. I'm sure whatever you can give would be appreciated.

August 30, 2005

Eastman & family

173 Crestwood Blvd.

South Farmingdale, NY 11735

Dear ,

We are a group of parents of children with autism from Long Island and are all very sadden to hear about the tragic death of your son .

Please know that we feel for you and your family. We want you to know that as a community, we are here as your family struggles with this loss. We are sure that is a shining star, looking down on all of us.

The Long Island Autism Community would like you to accept these donations that were collected from parents who wanted to help out. If there is anything additional you need, please feel free to contact us.

With all our condolences,

Dorothy i 631-399-3221 scottimeeews@...

Heeren 631-205-5090 christine@...

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Here is a recent article in Newsday:

BY RUTH L. TISDALE

STAFF WRITER

August 28, 2005

Ed Tolentino was making breakfast when he looked out of his glass kitchen door and saw something floating in the neighbor's pool.

The object looked too big to be a child's toy, so the 67-year-old put on his glasses and walked to the fence.

He saw his neighbor's 4-year-old boy face down in the water.

" I ran to the front door of my neighbor's house and banged on the door, " said Tolentino, of South Farmingdale. " When she came out screaming with the boy, I just froze. I didn't know what to do. "

The close-knit, seven-house cul-de-sac on Crestwood Boulevard on Friday mourned the loss of Eisman, who drowned in his family's pool.

, who was autistic, opened a locked screen door -- which he had never done before -- and went in the pool area while his mother, , was in her bedroom folding laundry, according to his aunt, Nina Arcese, 39, of North Bellmore.

" Children with autism are used to schedules and was used to going out to the pool, " Arcese said. " The pool was one of 's favorite places. "

Neighbor Caroline Pagnotta, 63, said she ran out of her front door when she heard 's desperate and frantic screams.

" She was just yelling, ', my beautiful boy' and my husband tried to resuscitate him, but he ended up dying in the hospital, " she said.

Neighbor Tara Einstein, 40, said 's radiant smile and baby-blue eyes were uplifting to anyone he encountered.

" had a smile that could light up a room, " Einstein said. " Therapists, aides and everyone just loved him. "

Family members said they worry about the lasting effects of this tragedy on the family and the mother, a freelance cinematographer who was too distraught to talk yesterday.

She lived alone with her three children: the boy who died, a 6-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son, who is also autistic.

" She's a very strong woman, but she feels that she let him down and I know that this is breaking her heart, " said Arcese through choked sobs. " You hear about this all summer and you say it couldn't happen, but you can watch your children so much and it just takes a moment. "