__________________ Merrick _________________
HERALD $1.00 $1.00
Ferrari catches fire on parkway
Kennedy cheers for Homecoming
Girls’ soccers gets its start
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Vol. 24 No. 40
SEPTEMBER 30 - ocToBER 6, 2021
Local boy fights rare disorder cerebral palsy, autism or other known disabilities. He underwent several tests, but it wasn’t A Bellmore family is raising until the family decided to map awareness about their 6-year-old his DNA that they found someson’s rare genetic disorder — it’s thing conclusive: a mutation in so rare, his mother said, that her the KAT6A gene. The gene son is the first to receive the makes the KAT6A protein, diagnosis in New York state. which helps control the producWill Reitzen has KAT6A syn- tion of proteins from other drome, a rarely identified genet- genes. A change in the KAT6A ic mutation that gene can cause a causes developmenrange of health and tal disabilities. developmental probRe c e n t a dv a n c e lems (see box). ments in genetic “Pretty much r e s e a r c h h ave every child has a sigallowed the mutation nificant speech to be identified, leadimpediment,” Reiting to the same diagzen said of those nosis for roughly 300 who have been diagpeople around the nosed with the disorworld since 2020. der. Will Reitzen Wi l l ’s m o t h e r, “I give Aimee a lot Aimee, has helped of credit — she got publicize the disorder since he an actual diagnosis based on was diagnosed in 2016. She had a blood work,” said Carol Blum, a hand in creating the KAT6A Merrick resident for 35 years Foundation, which helps fami- who was an early-intervention lies around the world who are therapist for Will, and attends dealing with the syndrome by and supports the Reitzens’ walk connecting them to resources every year. “There’s a lot of misthey need. diagnosing out there.” The Reitzen family will host The first case was discovered an annual fundraising walk at in 2013 in Washington, D.C., Wantagh Park this Saturday. according to Reitzen. When the Contributions can be made at Reitzens learned of Will’s diaghttps://donate.kat6a.org/event/ nosis, they were told he was only katwalk-2021/e343921. one of 10 children in the world to Aimee said she started notic- have KAT6A syndrome. “I felt ing a delay in Will’s learning and like I was in the Twilight Zone,” fine motor skills early on, but he didn’t quite fit a diagnosis of Continued on page 14
By ANDREW GARcIA agarcia@liherald.com
Courtesy Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District
Victory for the Pirates The Wellington C. Mepham Pirates won their Homecoming game against Glen Cove on Saturday. Above, members of the Gender & Sexual Alliance Club celebrated. Story, more photos, Page 3.
Merrick Chorale plans return to the stage for the holidays By JoRDAN VAlloNE jvallone@liherald.com
The Merrick Chorale — a community favorite — will make its return to the stage this holiday season, following a hiatus last year amid the coronavirus pandemic. Under the new musical direction of Cantor Dan Rosenfeld, of Temple Beth Am in Merrick, the group is looking to recruit new members as it plans performanc-
es in the coming months. It is now scheduled to perform on Dec. 19, at 2:30 p.m., at the Freeport Memorial Library. Rosenfeld is a classically trained musician who earned a music degree from Hamilton College and his cantorial degree from Hebrew Union College. He has been familiar with the chorale, and known its former directors, for many years. “My connection to the group began roughly 16 years ago,”
Rosenfeld said. “I had brought the Temple Beth Am adult choir to the Brotherhood Concert.” The Brotherhood Concert is a large, multi-background performance that takes place around Thanksgiving and usually features music groups from local school districts. “I knew people there from a church in Manhasset who were part of the Merrick Chorale,” Continued on page 13