By Marley Seaman
Bambino, a North Merrick resident for most of her life, died on the morning of July 21 after an epileptic seizure. She was 24 years old, and is mourned by the family and friends whose days she so frequently brightened.
"She was very dedicated to her family and friends, especially her friends from Calhoun High School," said her father, Bob. Cristin Bambino graduated from Calhoun in 2000.
A 2005 graduate of Molloy College, Bambino earned her paralegal certification from Nassau Community College in May 2006, and worked as a paralegal intern at Congdon, Flaherty and O'Callaghan in Uniondale.
During high school, she spent hundreds of hours working with the On Tour drama program. In addition to acting in several plays, she stage-managed a number of productions and one-act plays, assistant directed one and was co-crew chief of the prop crew during her junior year. She also became a member of the International Thespian Society, sang in the Chorale vocal group and was co-editor of the arts section of Hoofbeats, the school newspaper. She continued her involvement in theater during college by joining the Molloy drama club and stage-managing a few shows.
Her family and friends are working to establish a scholarship in her memory for graduating students who have taken part in the On Tour program. Upon Bambino's high-school graduation, drama director and teacher Sal Salerno commented that she had grown up a great deal in her years with On Tour, becoming a more self-confident and outgoing person.
A funeral Mass for Bambino was celebrated on Monday, July 24, at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in North Merrick, where she was a parishioner. Bambino was buried later that day at Holy Rood Cemetery in Westbury.
"We were very touched by the number of people who attended her wake, services and funeral Mass," her father said.
In addition to her father, Bob, Cristin is survived by her mother, Pat; brother, Michael, and sister, Mary.
Mourners were asked to offer donations to the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island, 506 Stewart Ave., Garden City, N.Y. 11530.
