Farmingdale High School marching band performs at first football game since deadly charter bus crash
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- The Farmingdale High School marching band on Friday set foot on their school's football field for the first time since the deadly bus crash that took the lives of their band leader and a chaperone on Sept. 21.
For the first time without their band director, the Farmingdale High marching band opened the game at Homecoming.
"I give them a lot of credit. It takes a lot, and there's still a lot of healing," Farmingdale resident Eileen Levine said.
It's been two weeks since the tragic bus accident in Orange County that took the lives of band director Gina Pellettiere and chaperone Beatrice Ferrari and injured multiple students.
"It was a tragedy. Terrible, terrible loss," Farmingdale resident Nancy Askedall said.
Friday night in a game against Baldwin, there were so many people, there was no room left in the bleachers.
"It's pretty crazy how many people are here to support us," Farmingdale student Jake Dunn said.
The community came together to support Farmingdale High, including the opposing team's cheerleaders rocking green ribbons in their hair.
"It makes me feel good. It feels like that everyone's with us," Farmingdale student Kyle Dunn said.
"I'm so glad, not only the community, it's all the towns, they're wearing green," Farmingdale resident Paul Askedall said.
- Related story: Farmingdale community remembers "pillars of the community" killed in Orange County bus crash
Pellettiere and Ferrari were honored at Friday night's game -- their initials on the field as the team took home the win, the resilience of these students shining through.
"It's just amazing to see how strong their spirits are and how they can keep their spirits so high after such a tragedy," Farmingdale resident Lee Levine said.
"The kids are driven. They're like, you know, Daler Strong. And even the community, schools from all over the place sent food to the school and they still do ... The cafeteria's full of just donations, food and stuff, it's great. The community is great, and the kids are super and they know that they're special," Farmingdale resident Ann McCarthy said.
Of course, every game is important, but Friday was about so much more -- communities standing in unison and supporting each other.
