In loving memory of Philip Califano

Friends and family of the late Philip Califano, a nine-year-old whose life was cut short in 2012 from an inoperable brain tumor, gathered at South Nassau Community Hospital on Oct. 17, on the fourth anniversary of the boy’s death. For the occasion, the group donated a large supply of arts and crafts to the hospital using funds raised from the sale of commemorative bracelets.

Philip’s friends and classmates, Valentina Musto, Anthony Difede and Sami Derasmo worked together to get the bracelets made and sold them to other classmates and people who knew Philip. For a while they didn’t know what to do with the funds said Philip’s mother Anna D’Amaro Califano, until they heard that South Nassau was in need of craft supplies for their child patients.

Musto, Difede and Derasmo were some of Philip’s closest friends when he was sick and would spend time with him when he couldn’t go out for recess or make it to school. “We heard Philip was alone, we would go hang out with him,” said Difede. “Me and him became really good friends. I loved him.”