By Mike Schnitzel
"The best thing about my son is that he brought all kinds of people together," said his father, John LaBarbera Sr. "He achieved more in his 16 years than I ever will in my lifetime."
LaBarbera was taking part in a basketball clinic at Central on Oct. 17 when, at about 5:40 p.m., he dropped to the ground while jumping rope. He was rushed to Franklin Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m. by emergency room personnel. His father and mother were at his side.
The Rev. Tom Harold, Holy Name pastor, who presided over the funeral Mass, called LaBarbera a peacemaker, saying that he would always come to the defense of weaker kids, "never threatening, but encouraging, negotiating."
His uncle, Robert LaBarbera, told of how his nephew had found $90 on the steps of Central High School, where he was a junior, just weeks ago, and returned the money in the hope that it would be claimed by its rightful owner. "He got that honesty quality from me," said Robert, eliciting laughter from the audience. "God needed a helper, so he took John."
LaBarbera sponsored his sister Cassie, a ninth-grader at Memorial Junior High, at her confirmation two weeks before his death. "They asked her to pick who she could come to in her time of need, and she picked her big brother," said John's mother, Susan.
"We called him the gentle giant," said his sister Heather, a sixth-grader at Wheeler Avenue, invoking the nickname her brother earned for his demeanor and his 6-foot-3-inch frame.
"He was the best big brother you could ask for," said his brother Michael, a third-grader at Wheeler.
Plans are in the works to establish the John LaBarbera ICAN Memorial Scholarship at Central, to be awarded annually to a student who displays "integrity, character, altruism and nobility," according to a letter received by Superintendent Dr. Marc Bernstein proposing the creation of the scholarship. "I will endorse the request, and it will be on the agenda for the Nov. 8 board meeting," said Bernstein.
LaBarbera played basketball and baseball at Central. His good grades regularly earned him a place on the High Honor Roll. He was enrolled in multiple Advanced Placement courses, and he had just started his second year in the Advanced Science Research program. He was also a musician, playing tenor saxophone in the school's jazz and marching bands. He was a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, the Science Honor Society, and Mathletes.
Bobby Breuer, 17, a senior at Central who played baseball with LaBarbera for five years in the Valley Stream Little League, said that his friend was one of a kind, never complaining or saying anything negative. "I was a pitcher and he was a catcher, and he never complained when I dropped my curveballs in the dust," said Breuer, who, upon hearing of LaBarbera's death, drove to church to light a candle for him. "He was the best at picking up his teammates. He had that smile."
Another teammate, Ricky Andersen, a senior at Central, called LaBarbera funny, smart and an all-around great person. Instead of trying to express his feelings of sadness over the loss of a friend, he preferred to offer "a simple thank you to a teammate and friend who inspired everyone to live life to the fullest."
The cause of LaBarbera's death remains unknown, according to his mother. She told the Herald that LaBarbera's cardiologist, Dr. Milton Reitman, who practices at St. Francis Hospital, said her son's death was unrelated to a prior heart condition. (He underwent surgery to repair a hole in his heart as a child.) "The doctor told me he was perfectly healthy, that it was as if he had never had surgery," said Susan LaBarbera. It is not yet known when a cause of death will be determined.
"At 16, this kid is a role model for others," said John Faust, president of the Valley Stream Little League and a close family friend. "He was a special kid from a special family, and it's just a devastating loss."
The family asks that any donations be made to the John LaBarbera Memorial Scholarship Fund and sent to Central High School, 135 Fletcher Ave., Valley Stream, N.Y. 11580.
Comments about this story? NFalco@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 208.
