ONLINE EDITION FRIDAY JANUARY 12, 2001
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http://www.antonnews.com/hicksvilleillustratednews/2001/01/12/

Hicksville Resident Loses Battle With Melanoma

Kristy Lyn Haley of Hicksville.

This article was written by Hicksville resident Nancy Haley in memory of her daughter, Kristy Lyn Haley, who died Nov. 29, 2000 at the age of 21 of melanoma.

In her short life, Kristy Lyn Haley proved to be one of the strongest individuals ever known. If you asked anyone who knew her to describe her they would all say one thing: Kristy was a fighter. She hated to lose. She fought for everything from her grades to winning games, and, in the end, for her life.

Kristy died of melanoma Nov. 29, 2000 at the age of 21. She was a senior at St. John's University where she majored in psychology. Just two weeks before her death, she was inducted into the prestigious Golden Key National Honor Society as a 4.0 student.

During her short life, she was president of the student council, named to the principal's list, a member of the Italian Club and National Honor Society and played basketball, softball and volleyball.

Last winter Kristy coached an eighth grade volleyball team at St. Francis DeChantel Church in Wantagh. She honestly loved each and every one of those girls so much that she didn't tell them of her illness until one week before she died. She didn't want them to worry about her.

Kristy led her life helping others, volunteering at Creedmore Psychiatric Center where she helped brighten up patients' days. In addition, she worked for the Association for the Help of Retarded Children (AHRC), where she'd take the individuals out on weekend excursions and often bring them home to meet her family. Kristy was a genuine, sincere person who thrived on making others happy.

The one thing that truly identified Kristy Lyn Haley was the courage she possessed throughout her illness. She never let the disease get the best of her. Through lung surgery and radiation, she continued to show others that incredible smile. Many were shocked at the news of her death because she never told people of her illness, always saying she didn't want to burden people with her problems. Most importantly, she never gave up hope, her dreams and her faith.

Besides her parents, John and Nancy Haley, Kristy is survived by two brothers, John and Michael of Hicksville and her boyfriend, David Gleason of Hicksville. The Mass was held Dec. 9 at St. Ignatius Loyola Church in Hicksville. She was buried at Holy Rood Cemetery in Westbury.

Memorial donations may be sent to the Long Island Community Fund (LICF) Kristy Lyn Haley Memorial Fund, 1740 Old Jericho Turnpike, Jericho, NY 11753.

 

 

Saturday, December 23, 2000

Kristy Lyn Haley, 21, College Student

By Ed Lowe

STAFF WRITER

Kristy Lyn Haley, a student majoring in psychology at St. John's University, died of cancer on November 29. The Hicksville resident was 22.

Haley was originally diagnosed in April, 1998, with melanoma. Then in September, cancer was detected in her lungs, and a month later, in her brain.

Born in Bethpage, she was raised in Hicksville and was a 1997 graduate of Hicksville High School, where she excelled in volleyball--her specialty was setting up the ball for spikes--and was named to the Nassau Girls Volleyball All-Conference Team. She attended Hicksville Middle School, where she was student council president.

The St. John's University senior, a 4.0 student, was accepted into the Golden Key Honor Society last month. She had been scheduled to graduate in April, and even after lung surgery, she continued to prepare for the graduate school entrance exam and hoped to pursue an advanced degree in psychology.

She served as a volunteer at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens, where she helped patients with recreation and other activities. This year she coached an eighth-grader girls' volleyball team from St. Francis de Chantel in Wantagh.

She worked weekends for the Association for Help to Retarded Children. In spite of her illness, she continued to volunteer, taking association groups on field trips to Atlantis Marine World in Riverhead, and to the Tri-County Flea Market in Levittown, said her boyfriend, David Gleason of Hicksville.

"It was two weeks before her lung surgery and she didn't want to tell them what was going on because she didn't want them to worry or feel sad," Gleason said. "She had a thing for old people. She had a thing for kids. She was a very special person."

In spite of her illness, she remained upbeat, said her mother, Nancy Haley. "She was 100 percent herself until the day she died. Very active, very outgoing," her mother said.

The initial melanoma, which consisted of two moles on her back, was removed about two years ago, but chest X-rays six months ago revealed cancer that spread quickly, she said.

Haley was buried Dec. 9 at Holy Rood Cemetary in Westbury, following a Mass at St. Ignatius Roman Catholic Church in Hicksville.

Haley also is survived by her father, John Haley, of Hicksville; two brothers, John Haley and Michael Haley, both of Hicksville. The family requests that donations be sent to the Long Island Community Fund's Kristy Lyn Haley Memorial Fund, 1740 Old Jericho Tpke., Jericho, N.Y. 11753.

Staff writer Joseph Mallia contributed to this story.

 

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