_________ Oceanside/island park ________
HERALD $1.00
Scrabble Day at the library
o’side director recognized
Vending machine books hit the spot
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Vol. 56 No. 39
SEPTEMBER 23 - 29, 2021
O’sider grabs first place in triathlon announced that was the case, I was beyond thrilled. That’s always the goal, and It was nice Oceanside athlete Corey Berg- to see that come to fruition.” er placed first in the male 30-toThe competition included a 34 age group in the prestigious half-mile swim in Oyster Bay Runner’s Edge Tobay Triathlon Harbor, a 12.3K hilly bike ride and Tri-Relay in Oyster Bay over through Oyster Bay and Oyster the weekend. Bay Cove, and a 5K Berger, 34, comrun past Mill Neck pleted the grueling and Brookville. triathlon in 1 hour, 5 Berger used the minutes and 17 secrace to prepare for onds in a group of 13 I ro n m a n 7 0 . 3 i n athletes. “It was a bit Atlantic City. “I of a shock because signed up the of the way things Wednesday before kind of break down, the race,” Berger especially throughsaid. “This was my out the swim,” Bergs e c o n d t r i at h l o n er said. “Swimming ever. I had been had always been the working with my most difficult of the coach, and she had three modalities. I CoREy BERgER suggested the race. struggled a bit with She was familiar Oceanside that particular with the team that swim. I was having was helping to put it trouble with my on . . . She said that this would be breathing, so I didn’t feel as a great opportunity, especially great as I wanted to coming out because it was a little bit more of the water, but I felt awesome challenging of a swim course through the bike and felt fast on than what you normally get.” the run.” Berger started training again Then it was a sprint to the fin- in June after he had surgery in ish. “I raced to the finish, and I March last year. “I had a torn felt like I might have gotten the labrum and a pretty severe bone win with that race to the finish,” Berger said, “and once it was Continued on page 17
By KEPhERD DaNiEl kdaniel@liherald.com
i
Courtesy Katie Smaragdas
SoPhia SMaRagDaS, 6, is remembered for her energetic demeanor and love of singing and dancing.
Remembering the talented Sophia Smaragdas, age 5 By ToM CaRRozza tcarrozza@liherald.com
Residents across Oceanside are in mourning after 5-year-old Sophia Smaragdas died Aug. 23 of health complications, family members said. She would have turned 6 on Oct. 12. Sophia will be remembered for her love of music and singing. Katie and Christopher Smaragdas, Sophia’s parents, did not detail their daughter’s medical condition, but said
her death shocked the family. Katie said she took Sophia to the emergency room at Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital in Oceanside because of symptoms of dehydration. The family said they were only at the hospital for about an hour before they received the horrifying news. “She was a little superstar,” Katie said. “She was a very large personality, and if someone was shy in school, she would be their friend.” Smaragdas said her daughter
always wanted to be on stage, and wore a rock star T-shirt for career day. At Sophia’s service on Sept. 3 in Wantagh Park, F lowers by Mike owner Michael Graham, who provided a variety of floral arrangements, made sure to make most of them purple, which was Sophia’s favorite color. Rachel Arianne, owner and founder of Royal Events Princess Parties Inc., learned the song “I Choose You” by Continued on page 19
raced to the finish, and I felt like I might have gotten the win with that race to the finish.