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Rallying behind a firefighter in need of a liver in Merrick, graduating from John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore in 1984. He worked for Thomas Gleason, a longtime a private sign company, and volunteer firefighter with the then later worked for almost Merrick Fire Department, has three decades as a sign maker been waging a courageous bat- for the Town of Hempstead. He tle against liver disease, with retired in 2021. Gleason was stationed at his his wife Laura by his side. The best chance of survival for the Empire Hose Company No. 3 father of two is to receive a por- firehouse in Merrick when the onset of encephalopathy struck tion of a liver from a donor. him, and he was Gleason told the quickly rushed to Herald that he was the hospital. diagnosed with Gleason spent liver disease several time in the hospital years ago, due to recovering from it, some conditions then began to like fatty liver and THoMAS GlEASoN and see specialists at cirrhosis, impactVolunteer firefighter, different hospitals, ing the liver’s abiliincluding Mount ty to filter blood Empire Hose Sinai Medical Cenfrom toxins, pro- Company No. 3 ter in New York duce bile and carry City. But for a while, his liver waste. “It’s just a hell of a disease,” function, while not optimal, he said. “I’m not saying it was remained stable. During the early stages of dormant, but I was holding my own pretty much — things were the coronavirus pandemic, when it was hard to access hosgoing okay.” pitals due to precautions, In 2019, he suffered a bout of hepatic encephalopathy, which t h i n g s b e c a m e wo r s e, h e is when the liver isn’t process- explained. “The liver just affects everying toxins as it should. “You get very confused,” he thing — everything in your explained. “It kind of mimics a body, from your hair falling (out) and thinning, to your feet stroke.” Gleason was born and raised
By JoRDAN VAlloNE
jvallone@liherald.com
Jordan Vallone/Herald
Mireille Taub, a Holocaust survivor from France, spoke at Sanford H. Calhoun High School last week, detailing how her family fled to the United States. She also described the experience of her husband, who lived in parts of occupied and free France during World War II.
Learning from Holocaust survivors Mireille Taub leads powerful presentation for freshmen, sophomores at Calhoun H.S. By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
Throughout February, students in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District took many opportunities to hear from survivors of the Holocaust. International Holocaust Remembrance Day is commemorated on Jan. 27, when the Soviet Army liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1945. The anniversary holds historical importance in social studies classes, and helps students broaden their understanding of hate and prejudice aimed at groups of people. Sanford H. Calhoun High School played
host to two speakers on Feb. 27 — Mireille Taub, a Holocaust survivor, and Bernie Furshpan, a second-generation survivor. Taub spoke to Calhoun’s freshmen and sophomores, while Furshpan addressed the juniors and seniors. The Herald took the opportunity to listen to Taub’s presentation to get a sense of what students are learning and why stories like hers still hold so much significance today.
Mireille’s story
Christina Cone, the district’s social studies chairperson, introduced Taub to Calhoun students, saying, “This is such an amazing ConTInUed on page 4
I
t’s just a hell of a disease.
ConTInUed on page 6