Фонд Майкла Петрони награждает семью умершего судьи Little League и собирает средства для семьи Тани Хагнер

As usual, I was just a bit too late. Not with punctuality — I’m well-known for my stellar (and some friends and family would say annoying) adherence to being on time — actually, if I’m on time, I’m late. I credit/blame my obsession with being on time to my days as a sports writer. I hated the thought of getting to a game late; even a minute late could be a game-changer. So I made sure I was at the court/field at least 30 minutes prior to game time. And if it was a district or state playoff and I was traveling into unknown territory? I factored in 30 minutes get-lost-time, because I knew my weakness in directions. No, my lateness had nothing to do with the clock. I was guilty of being late in recognizing the impact a person had on my life. As usual, the revelation hit after his death. Even though I had known Pat Storti since my younger days as a sports writer and athlete, I didn’t get to really know him until much later in my life when my youngest son Matthew was born. We — my husband and two sons — were walking across the Little League fields in Norristown, when Pat, suited up as an umpire came jogging towards us. The first thing his did was congratulate us on the birth of our youngest son. And then… He spoke beautifully about what a gift Matthew will be to us, and that he will open so many doors and opportunities beyond our expectations. He must have seen the question marks on my face because I wasn’t sure what he was going on about. And then he said, “You know, my son Anthony has Down syndrome.” We talked several more minutes, and Jim and I thanked Pat repeatedly for his kind and assuring words. Because when you’re new to the world of special needs, it can be overwhelming, daunting, and well, scary. But talking with Pat, Jim and I knew we had just been welcomed into a wonderful, caring community. Years later, when I became a PIAA basketball official, Pat was the president of our Norristown chapter. And from there he recruited me to officiate Special Olympics games and tournaments. By that time Matthew was heavily involved in Special Olympics, so it was a win-win situation. Because of our involvement with Special Olympics, I saw Pat and Anthony often. Actually, if you saw Pat, you usually saw Anthony. They were buddies – best friends. In fact, Anthony was an “honorary” PIAA official, and went with Pat to most of his games and banquets and socials. Pat, who lived in Norris Hills in Norristown with his family, died unexpectantly in 2019. Pat’s death left a tremendous void in so many different lives, but no one felt his loss greater than his wife Rosemary and his four kids, particularly Anthony. Since that time Anthony, now 41, has had numerous surgeries due to orthopedic issues, including operations on his spine and his hip. An operation in February 2025 was for Spinal Myelopathy (C-2 to T-3 with rods). That issue alone causes mobility problems for Anthony, so his mom had to purchase a specially equipped van to transport Anthony. And this is where the Michael Petrone Foundation is stepping in. Pat’s longtime friend Tom Brady reached out to members of MPF to see if anything could be done to help the Storti family meet those unexpected financial needs. And the answer, of course, was happily. The Storti family will join Tanya Hagner as beneficiaries of this year’s 27th Michael Petrone Golf Outing, set for Sept. 21, 2026 at Bella Vista Golf Club in Gilbertsville. All proceeds will go to the beneficiaries. Hagner, who lives in West Norriton, had to undergo brain surgery in February to remove a tumor on the nerve of her eye as she lost sight in her right eye after a stroke in 2002. She is also battling neurological issues that cause numbness where she struggles with balance and overwhelming back pain. Her son Ethan, who recently graduated from Penn State, moved back home and left his job in order to help his mom. The spinal pain and neurological issues still exist, so she is navigating through many doctor visits and therapy. Without an income and with mounting medical bills, the Hagner family could use some helping hands. Lots of them. And those hands don’t have to hold golf clubs to help. As always with the golf outing, even non-golfers can help the beneficiaries with sponsorship opportunities. For more information on how to help, visit https://the-michael-petrone-foundation-annual-golf-outing.perfectgolfevent.com/ On a personal note – and with full disclosure – I volunteer with the Michael Petrone Foundation. My family was a beneficiary after my husband died in 2016, and without question the donation we received from MPF took away much of the financial stress that bogged me down. Losing Jim was a devastating loss I and my kids still feel today, but the emotional and financial support shown to us by the members of the Michael Petrone Foundation gave us hope that the future didn’t have to be dark and dreary for us. It gave us hope knowing we weren’t standing alone. So, when Pat Storti died, my heart ached for Anthony – for sure his three sisters were reeling from the loss of their dad – but Anthony? I remember trying to explain to Matthew about his dad’s death, and 10 years later, he stills asks for his dad. The loss of their fathers Matthew and Anthony feel is unlike anything most of us can imagine, and it’s heartbreaking. So when MPF decided to take the Storti family under its wing, I was thrilled. And to me, the Petrone Foundation stands above most any other non-profit I’m aware of. Because, at its core, the Petrone Foundation is simply Friends Helping Friends. The seeds of MPF were planted through love – love of a friend, teammate, brother — who died in 1998 after heart and kidney transplant surgery. And that’s what is so impressive about MPF. Mike Petrone was so loved, held in such high regard, that his childhood friends from the North End of Norristown, his friends from Holy Saviour Grade School and his friends and football teammates from Bishop Kenrick High School were driven to honor him in a way that reflected Mike’s life of caring, his strength of character and integrity. Truly remarkable. And so, over the course of the last 27 years, MPF has helped families dealing with mounting medical bills; provided scholarships to local high school students; supported families facing financial problems after unexpected deaths; and most recently, provided much-needed financial boosts to nonprofit organizations that serve society’s most vulnerable people, like the Patrician Society in Norristown and Variety Club in Worcester. What better way to make the world, at least the world that Mike lived in, a much better place? Email Cheryl Kehoe Rodgers at [email protected]