Northport Fundraiser To Celebrate Life Of Young Man Who Fought Cancer

NORTHPORT, NY — A fundraiser will be held in memory of Aidan Fischer, who recently died of cancer at the age of 23. Fischer was a Northport resident who died April 18 after fighting a brave battle against leukemia.

His family will use the funds to kickstart its planned cancer charity, Aidan's Army. The fundraiser is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 1.

The Northport Marching Band Drumline will honor Aidan between 11:45 a.m. and noon at Northport Park to kick off the 64th annual Art & Music Festival.

The rest of the celebration, from noon to 6 p.m., is set to take place at RB Homes Realty at 131 Scudder Ave., Northport. The event is taking place in the two parking lots on either side of the building, and in the building itself. There is street parking.

There will be a cornhole tournament, raffle baskets, an art show, live music, and drinks and food. The event will be family-friendly. The event is being organized by Tiffany and Arbi Asadourian, owners of RB Homes Realty, and Melanie Formosa, Aidan's childhood friend.

"I am really excited about it," Formosa told Patch. "Of course, this is a very solemn reason to be doing it. I wish Aidan was here to experience and be at it. This is our way to honor him. I really think Aidan would be honored and thrilled that it's happening."

A blood drive, separate from the event, is slated for 3 to 7:30 p.m. June 5, at RB Homes Realty.

Support was provided by Jerry Beck, Arianna Keating, Michael Comerchero, Bill Albitz, and Will Aguirre. Maggie Cotignola connected Tiffany Asadourian with Formosa. Tiffany's father died from leukemia and wanted to do an event honoring a local family that was affected by leukemia.

"When that idea was presented to me, and I was put in touch with Tiffany, I thought, 'Absolutely,'" Formosa said. "I was going to make this happen, along with Tiffany. Now it's co-organizing this event with Arbi, Tiffany and myself. I'm putting my absolute all into making this the best it can possibly be."

Jenine Saccente, Aidan's mother, said she did not have to do much to assemble the fundraiser and that she has the "most amazing support group."

She thanked Formosa and the Asadourians for organizing the event, as well as everyone else who pitched in.

"I can't imagine the people who have to go through grief without a really strong support system, because I'm struggling big time," Saccente said. "I'm spoiled with the support system that I have. I'm honestly spoiled. I am beyond humbled and grateful, because other people are thinking for me when I'm really having a hard time thinking. I am just so blessed. I didn't really do anything."

Saccente said she ordered wristbands and designed a t-shirt, but other people, many of whom she has not even met yet, have been doing the heavy lifting.

The live music that Formosa organized on behalf of Aidan and his family touched Saccente, she said. The bands are donating their time to the event, and the lineup will feature tribute bands of some of Aidan's favorite groups, she said.

Formosa said the live music lineup was "pivotal" to the event.

"It's what kind of drove me," she said. "I did a radio show for Aidan with all his favorite music. That gave me the idea for, 'What if I got tribute bands of all of Aidan's favorite bands to come? ... It's an all-encompassing approach to honoring Aidan."

The line-up is below:

12:30-1 p.m.: Soul To Squeeze (Red Hot Chili Peppers Tribute)
1:20-1:50 p.m.: Deadshot
2:10-2:40 p.m.: STT Stone Temple Tribute
3-3:30 p.m.: Ethan Meixsell
3:50-4:20 p.m.: Pump The Ultimate Aerosmith Tribute Band
4:40-5:10 p.m.: The Star Club
5:30-6:30 p.m.: Razor's Edge

Razor's Edge — a band that Aidan played drums for — has top billing at the end of the day. Aidan's father, Christopher, and his uncle, both drummers, will fill Aidan's drum kit during the Razor's Edge performance. In fact, all drummers will be performing using Aidan's kit.

"It's very close to the vest," Saccente said. "We were a family of drummers here."

All funds raised will be used to kickstart Aidan's Army, a charity that Saccente plans to establish by this summer.

"Since Aidan’s passing, his family has realized that the best way to honor his legacy is to do what he would have done, and that’s to help others who are in a similar situation," said Comerchero, a family friend of the Fischers. "They have decided to launch this foundation, Aidan’s Army, to do just that; to support the people and causes that he was so passionate about."

Saccente said she is still working out Aidan's Army's mission statement, but she hopes to accomplish a few goals with it.

"First, helping people who are in a similar situation to us," she said. "You don't know what's going to happen [when a loved one has cancer]. If you're going to have travel expenses or medical bills. I'm a server. If I don't work, I'm not getting paid."

Saccente, a server at Miller's Ale House, said she was out of work for a couple of months while she was at the hospital with her son.

"Miller's was wonderful," she said. "They did some fundraisers, because they know my situation. I don't get paid if I'm not working. I'm a single mom. There are other people in a similar situation to what I was. These organizations reached out. They paid my PSEG bill. That kind of stuff. I want to be able to do that for other families who are struggling, financially, in that way. Because that was a big help."

Saccente said another facet of Aidan's Army she could explore is donating money to children's leukemia research.

"All the money goes to the adult side," she said.

Saccente said there are other causes that Aidan would be a champion of, like helping animals. She would like to mobilize Aidan's Army to honor her son in that way, as well.

She recalled a story from last year when Aidan, his girlfriend and his best friend visited his cousin in North Carolina, who had just had a baby. They stayed for a week, Saccente said. As Aidan was saying goodbye, he saw a dog in a field. He followed the dog behind the bushes in the field, according to Saccente.

"She had been dumped with her eight babies in a hot field," she said.

Aidan got a red wagon, grabbed the puppies and called Saccente.

"He said, 'Mom, I have to do something.' Long story short, he let his flight go," Saccente said. "He rented an SUV and drove all those puppies home. He went to the vet, fostered them, and nurtured them until they could be separated from his mother. He adopted them out to close friends and family. We kept mama and one of the babies."

Saccente said "there's so much need in different arenas for funding" and is carefully considering what role Aidan's Army will play.

"While I haven't put my finger on, and I don't think it will ever be one thing, those are the three things that come to the top of my head for where I would like to honor Aidan's legacy and continue doing," she said.

Formosa thanked all of the local businesses supporting the event.

"Whether it be donating food, merchandise, gift cards," she said. "Everyone who's been involved in co-organizing the event, to everyone who is lending a land. And all of the people who will be coming, thank you."

Aidan’s Army would like to thank all of the participating businesses and organizations:

Restaurants Donating Food and Drinks:

1. Miller’s Ale House
2. Salted. On The Harbor
3. La Porta
4. Timothy’s Pizza
5. PieZano’s of Northport
6. The Purple Elephant
7. Intermezzo Trattoria & Wine Bar
8. The Wine Cellar on Main
9. Jay Heun Chinese Restaurant
10. Northport Shipwreck Diner
11. Copenhagen Bakery
12. Cow Harbor Brewery Company
13. Sand City Brewing Co.

Businesses donating merchandise, memberships, gift cards, etc.

1. Women of Soul
2. Southdown Coffee
3. Blondie’s Not So Simple Syrups
4. La Porta
5. Country Beer & Beverage Barn
6. BottleBargains
7. Gunther’s Tap Room
8. Mama Chan’s House
9. Village Deli & Bagelry
10. Dunkin’ Donuts
11. Main Street Cafe
12. Salted. On The Harbor
13. Northport Shipwreck Diner
14. Copenhagen Bakery
15. Kate Sydney Jewelry
16. Island Silkscreen
17. Einstein's Attic
18. Sweet Arts
19. Indigo Room
20. Gold’s Gym
21. Elements Massage
22. Anthony Paul Salon & Spa
23. Raízes
24. The Nest
25. Art Pop
26. Miles To Go Presents
27. Larkfield Car Wash & Collision Center
28. Jones Drug Store
29. Hydrangea Home
30. The John W. Engeman Theater
31. Artisan House
32. RB Homes Realty
33. Eaton’s Neck Youth Club: East Northport/Northport Basketball
34. Trigon Martial Arts
35. The Consignment Shop
36. D&D CBD
37. Lark Tattoo
38. Fountainhead
39. Yajamahe Yoga & Sacred Sound Sanctuary
40. Seasonal 'Scapes LI
41. Nature Calls Portable Restrooms
42. Heidi N. Zuckerman, DMD - Great Neck Dentist
43. The Firefly Artists
44. The Rhee Manfuso Family
45. Love of Learning Montessori School
46. Northport Journal
47. Northport Chamber of Commerce
48. The Northport Observer
49. Girl Scouts of Suffolk County (GSSC) Troop #879
50. Youth Directions and Alternatives (YDA)
51. Little Shelter Animal Rescue & Adoption Center
52. Smile Stories: The Movement
53. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
54. National Marrow Donor Program