'P.S. I Love You Day' Recognized By New York State

TOWN OF BABYLON, NY — A Long Island tradition has officially made its way to the New York state calendar.

P.S. I Love You Day, which was created by West Islip residents Brooke and Jaimie DiPalma in 2010 to spread mental health awareness, was recently recognized by the state, Assemblyman Michael Durso announced in a press conference last week.

The sisters created the tradition after the tragic loss of their father to suicide in 2010.

"In those darkest moments, I remember the last time my dad said to me on that beautiful Friday 'I love you,'" said Brooke outside of Town Hall, which was lit in purple.

Since then, dozens of schools throughout Long Island celebrate P.S. I Love You Day annually on the second Friday of each February.

Students, teachers, and school staff dress in purple, to represent mental health awareness.

This year, Bayport-Blue Point High School decorated each locker and classroom door with purple signs that had handwritten, uplifting messages. The school's Interact club also greeted students entering the building with purple Hershey kisses and purple bead necklaces.

The art department also held a contest for this year’s theme “Love All Your Chapters,”
meaning that each moment in life creates a chapter in one’s own story and can make everyone
stronger individuals.

Students at South Fork Schools also decorated their school with purple hearts, wrote kind messages to their peers and staff, enjoyed a school dance and engaged in discussions surrounding kindness.

A total of almost 500 businesses, schools and organizations take part in P.S. I Love You Day, the sisters said.

On the closing note of the conference, Councilman Terence McSweeney recited a moving quote from the P.S. I Love You Day website.

"Tragedy should not be a force for togetherness," he said. "Togetherness should be the force that ends tragedy."