Local Graduate Andrew Samuel Remembered Through Charity Foundation

By Christopher Sheldon

The memory of a Frank Antonides graduate is being kept alive through a charitable foundation he helped created before his untimely death

Andrew Samuel, a former West Long Branch resident, died from stage IV gastric cancer in November, 2009, at the age of 25.

Samuel was given four weeks to live after being diagnosed on July 6, 2006, but fought and lived longer than doctors said he would.

Andrew chose to continue living his life as if he would if he did not have cancer and went on to graduate from NYU, get a job and get engaged.

"Andre never wanted to be looked at as a cancer patient," brother Sam Samuel said. "He always thought, 'Why am I more special than anybody else dealing with cancer'. He wanted people to realize that the person next to them could also be dealing with the same thing."

Samuel began selling bracelets with "One Love One Heart" embossed on them to raise money for gastric cancer research. The bracelet is supposed to remind those who wear it that their difficulties are not the most important just because they are their own. 

This was the start of the One Love One Heart Foundation, which has been carried on by his family and friends since he died.

One of Andrew's best friends, Jeff Perez, said one of the foundations annual events is an August golf outing at Pebble Creek golf course in Colts Neck to raise money for gastric cancer research. 

"Jeff was heavily involved in the first golf outing," Perez said. "It's a big reason we kept it going."

All donations go to the Weill Cornell Medical College, and over $10,000 has been raised each year for the last three years.

The outing is set for Friday, Aug. 16 with a 12:30 p.m. lunch and 2:30 p.m. tee time. The cost to play is $150 per golfer which includes greens and cart fees, lunch before the outing and a barbecue after the outing. There will also be a raffle and prizes.

Perez said events like the golf outing help keep Andrew's message alive.

"It brings us together as a group of friends and family so we can carry out what he would have wanted done if he was still here today," Perez said.

Sam said the golf outing is a "constant reminder of his impact on everybody."

"These are Andrew's friends and this is important to keep his memory alive and continue to spread his message."

For more information on the foundation or the outing, visitwww.oneloveoneheart.org.