Foundation raises money for grief counseling through hockey tournament

Community Events Foundation raises money for grief counseling through hockey tournament By Vivian Rose … Comments Posted on November 10, 2026 The Sabrina Navaretta Memorial Foundation is trying to raise money for parental grief counseling, to make it accessible for parents across Long Island. Ryan Sweezey As Mara Navaretta stood welcoming people in the Town of Oyster Bay hockey rink, she stopped suddenly to greet two of her late daughter’s friends. “Forever 19,” Navaretta said. “That’s what we say.” Navaretta’s daughter, Sabrina, died in a car crash in 2023. Just over three years later, her family held the fourth annual hockey tournament to raise money for the Sabrina Navaretta Memorial Foundation. This year, the foundation is trying to raise money especially for parental grief counseling, something Navaretta said her family didn’t have the chance to receive when Sabrina died. “The police came to the door and we had no help,” she said. “There were no groups that we liked. [Our group] is more like a spiritual group. It’s more uplifting, and so we want the word to get out there that we’re not a sad bunch.” The Navarettas began serving as grief educators shortly after their daughter died. In January, the family renovated their office space for more people to attend their meetings, meant for parents who have lost children. She said people have learned about the group through word of mouth and regularly drive long distances to attend. Parents experiencing the grief of a child can also call the Navarettas, she said. “The first thing I say over the phone is, tell me about your child,” Navaretta said. “What’s your child’s name? I say, don’t tell me about the tragedy. I don’t need to know if it was fentanyl or a car accident. Just tell me about your child.” During the first game, Sabrina’s father, John Navaretta, got on the ice wearing No. 14 to remember his daughter. In an interview, he said that the hockey community served as some of his biggest supporters when tragedy struck his family. “The hockey community and everyone I knew in the hockey world on Long Island was so supportive,” John Navaretta said. “They all said, ‘Listen, we’ll have a benefit game for your daughter,’ for the foundation.” He said some of the most instrumental people were Bernard “Buzz” Deschamps, a former professional hockey player for the New York Rangers, turned coach for the Suffolk County Police Department hockey team – the team John plays for as an honorary member after spending years as an attorney for the county’s Police Benevolent Association. Deschamps said the Navarettas are personal friends of his and said he had the chance to get to know Sabrina. “When such tragedies happen to families, instead of just crawling up and pouting about it, they’re doing something about it,” he said. “They’re doing wonderful things.” After the first game of the tournament, played between the SCPD and alumni of the FDNY, high school varsity teams from Bethpage and Syosset took the ice for their first game of the season. “It feels amazing, honestly,” Danny Disque, co-captain of the Syosset hockey team, said. “To play the sport I’ve played for so long, and to do it for a good cause is definitely good. My sister knew [Sabrina]; they were friends. They went to high school and college together. So it definitely feels nice knowing that we’re giving back to the community by playing the sport, and that the money is going to a good cause.” While the foundation is trying to raise money to make grief counseling accessible to parents across Long Island, the family also serves the community by holding an annual coat drive and supporting an annual college scholarship fund . Andrew Sausmer, a longtime friend of John’s, attended the hockey tournament and remembered Sabrina, who he said called him ‘Uncle Andy.’ For the past 40 years, Sausmer has served with the Jericho Fire Department, which he said has helped organize an annual coat drive for the foundation. “A network has expanded,” Sausmer said. “They were very giving and charitable people to begin with. This has brought them in other directions.” For more scene & seen event photos, click here. About the Author All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines . Schneps Media does not endorse the views shared by readers in our comment sections.