LEFT : ( left to right ) Len DeLucia P ’ 09 , Neil Paladino P ’ 17 , Ernie Ferrigno , and Mike Avenzzano at Fordham Prep ’ s 2022 Golf Outing . DeLucia passed away on July 4th , 2022 .
RIGHT : DeLucia ( second from right ) after leading the Prep ’ s lacrosse team to win the 2013 CHSAA Championships .
BELOW : Members of the DeLucia family at Rose Hill on James ’ graduation day .
REMEMBERING LEN DeLUCIA P ’ 09
By James DeLucia ’ 09
THOUGH I TECHNICALLY GRADUATED FROM THE PREP IN 2009 , IN TRUTH , MY FAMILY AND I NEVER LEFT .
It wasn ’ t long into my freshman year that my father , mother and sister began to appreciate that in many ways I was not the only one attending the Prep . From parent-teacher conferences to Track & Field weekends at the Armory to Thanksgivings at the Turkey Bowl , Fordham Prep events quickly filled up our family calendar .
Perhaps no one was as affected by the Prep ’ s communal orbit as my dad , Len . It didn ’ t take long for him to see that the Prep was a special place — one with ambitious young men embracing the “ Men for Others ” and cura personalis philosophy , and a faculty that devoted hours not only inside the classroom , but also in sports , service projects , and retreats , all coming well after school hours .
An athlete from a young age , my dad had a passion for athletics . An avid baseball , football , hockey , golf , and lacrosse fan ( and participant over the years ), you could frequently spot my dad catching a game — Prep or professional — on TV following family dinner .
When he heard that the Prep was looking for an assistant lacrosse coach in 2008 , my dad chomped at the bit . Believe me , it was not my athletic ability that got him the job . It was his willingness to give hours away from his day job as a dentist and a sincere interest in coaching that earned him the spot .
Quickly , my dad saw the potential in my classmates , on and off the field , and in the power of the Prep community .
During his tenure , the lacrosse program won 72 games and two city championships in 2011 and 2013 . He was also one of the founders of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame & Fundraiser Dinner . Beyond lacrosse , he regularly volunteered at home games for the varsity hockey team and went on to become a driving force and emcee at the Prep ’ s annual Golf Outing .
In between the game days , my father and my mother , Patricia , supported the Prep in numerous ways , from attending Dramatic Society performances and the annual IGNITE benefit .
My dad ’ s sudden passing in July was a gut punch . We were roiled as a family , uncertain of what lay ahead .
It didn ’ t take us long , however , to find a light shining in the darkness . Without hesitation or delay , the Prep community from all walks of life — administrators , faculty , staff , alumni , parents , and friends — extended Christ ’ s compassion to us , an act my family and I will never forget .
Upon reflection , I ’ ve come to appreciate two important truths . First , you never really leave the Prep . And second , I was not the only member of my family to attend the Prep . My entire family did as well . The Prep uses the word “ community ” often , and the Prep is right . We are a community . I am proud to add my voice to the chorus that sings of the Prep ’ s unwavering commitment to its students , faculty / staff , and alumni . This commitment has had a remarkable effect on my family , and is something we will be eternally grateful for .
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FORDHAM PREP RAMVIEW