By Nicole Falco
Brown, a 10-year-old Valley Streamer, was riding his bike with friends near the Long Island Rail Road tracks behind Leaman Place near Greis Park in Lynbrook on July 14, when he accidentally touched the third rail and was electrocuted by 660 volts of electricity carried by the rail.
Since his death a memorial has been erected in his honor and many have gathered at the spot where he died. His mother, Nancy, and many others are calling for the Metropolitan Transit Authority, which operates the LIRR, to beef up safety around the easily accessible tracks.
In his homily during Brown's funeral service, Father James Maltese asked mourners to remember Brown for more than just the "tragic accident."
"This 10-year-old is teaching people who are double, triple his age. I believe, I firmly believe that Kevin's mission in this life is not over," Maltese said.
The boy's death, as well as the deaths of two teenagers who were struck by a train in that same spot in 1994, has pushed train safety and awareness into the forefront of the public's mind, but long before his death, Brown left a lasting impression on those closest to him.
During the service Friday, his older brother, Stevie, 19, read a poem he wrote for Kevin, in which he said, "Without question I would trade places with you....I dedicate my life to you...For every laugh we had together, I shed a tear."
Following the funeral, on the steps of Holy Name, Brown's classmates and friends shared their memories and thoughts about the huge Mets fan who played for the Valley Stream Little League.
"I came to pay my respects, but I want to remember him playing with him on the last day of school," said Peter Gigandi, 10, a classmate of Brown since kindergarten.
Gigandi's brother, Anthony, a second-grader at Buck, remembers Brown as "cool and funny," so much so that Anthony was known to follow Brown around and tried to dress and act like him.
Brown's friend and neighbor, Chris Niemann, an eighth-grader at South High School, said, "We were really good friends and I really miss him...riding our bikes through the road and not being able to do anything with him anymore. He was always there for everyone."
According to Niemann's mom, Marybeth, Brown was there for her son as recently as Mother's Day when Niemann was having a hard day.
"Kevin knew exactly where Chris was and went to talk things out with him," Marybeth said.
Marybeth added that Nancy, Brown's mom, was also there for her and she only wishes that she could do the same.
Alex Mangual, another classmate, remembers playing handball with Brown during recess and Brown being a good friend.
"Sometimes when someone was picking on me he'd stick up for me and tell them to stop. When someone was picking on him, I'd stick up for him," Mangual said.
According to parents and school administrators, the Buck School family, made up of approximately 330 students, is very tight-knit, as is the community itself.
"Buck is a very close family...when one hurts we are all hurting, said Christine Mangual, Alex's mom. "We [the parents] would have come anyway, but our children decided they wanted to come; they had to be here. We had to respect that and bring them along."
While some attended cemetery services, others went straight to the Buck School where there were two school psychologists, Dr. Patrick Grehan and Alf Rasmussen; two school social workers, Karen Serro and Jo Anne Zuccaro; and Dr. Gary Dunn, a psychologist affiliated with South Nassau Communities Hospital's Crisis Response Center available all afternoon to help parents and children deal with Brown's sudden, tragic death.
During the sessions, children were encouraged to talk about Brown and ask questions about his death and, separately, parents discussed techniques they can use to help their children cope with the loss of a friend.
Dr. Edward Fale, District 24's superintendent of schools, said the district may offer another group session, if needed, and counselors will be available to students, as always, on an individual basis during the school year.
The MTA has contacted District 24 as well as other local districts to set up a day in September where they can come and teach railroad safety to the students.
Holy Name of Mary Parish will offer a support group administered by Sister Barbara Shea, religious education director. For more information about Holy Name's support group, contact Sr. Barbara at (516) 825-1810.
In school, Brown was remembered as a vivacious, kind-hearted youngster, who seemed to enjoy life, according to Diana Pirrone, assistant superintendent and former Buck principal.
Fale said he recalls Brown's constant baseball talk and the Mets' jersey he wore.
"He was a very cheery, nice kid. He was inseparable from his bicycle and from a group of close friends that he had," Fale said.
District 24 and the Buck PTA are also looking into a permanent memorial in remembrance of Brown at his school. One suggestion was dedicating a section in the school library to baseball and other sports in Brown's honor.
Brown is also survived by his dad, Steven Brown of Lynbrook, his sister Michelle Brown, aunts, uncles and cousins. An athletic scholarship fund has been established at Buck in Brown's name. Donations can be sent to the Kevin Michael Brown Memorial Fund, c/o Nancy Brown, 221 E. Jamaica Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11580.
