Ten shining scenes from 2014 in Morris County
Morris County was the scene in 2014 of many uplifting events: Donors dug deeply into their pockets to bestow generous gifts on Morristown Medical Center. Veterans were recognized for their sacrifices. Individuals and teams triumphed with their athleticism. High school marching bands became part of the history of Super Bowl XLVIII. A brother resolved to help his sibling keep on living.
Below are ten news highlights from the past year that evoke some of the brightest, compassionate and proudest moments in the county.
MORRISTOWN COUPLE DONATES $5 MILLION TO HOSPITAL
Businessman and philanthropist Robert "Dick" Deskovick and his wife, Louise "Jackie," in November announced a $5 million donation to complete the renovation of the Maternity Center at Morristown Medical Center. The gift exceeded the $2.7 million fundraising goal for the renovation that has been under way for a few years.
Raised in East Hanover, Deskovick was a builder and, in the 1960s co-founded the First Morris Bank, now Provident Bank. He is a trustee of both the Dick and Jackie Deskovick Foundation and The Morristown Green. The renovation of the Maternity Center is part of a larger $12 million multiphase project to update the 76,500-square-foot space into a state-of-the-art haven for new mothers, infants and their families.
PARSIPPANY HILLS AND MOUNTAIN LAKES HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAMS CAPTURE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Parsippany Hills High School's Vikings football team won the NJSIAA North 2, Group III championship on Dec. 7, beating Cranford High 20-13 in a title game at MetLife Stadium. The players were later feted with a motorcade through town, a high school rally and received certificates of outstanding achievement from the mayor and council.
The same day, the Mountain Lakes High School Herd footballers rolled to a 36-28 victory over Lincoln High, bringing home the NJSIAA Section 2, Group II championship.
"We have some dynamic runners," Herd Coach Darrell Fusco said, referring mainly to Bobby Frawley (18 for 106 rushing, 1 TD), quarterback Brad Smith (14 for 94, 3 TDs), Brad Landry (17 for 70), and Jack Palazzi (6 for 34). "But our line was just outstanding. We were able to get chunks of yards. The kids believed in each other all year, and today (Dec. 7) was another example of that."
The Vikings pounded their rivals, with Angelo Gallego (38 for 189, 1 TD) and J.D. Keyes (8 for 40) blasting away behind center Chris Pietrowicz (6-2, 235), guards Luke Haltigan (5-11, 255) and Zach Fife (6-0, 250), and tackles Kyle McGinley (6-2, 280) and Chris Wojtukiewicz (6-2, 275).
MORRIS PLAINS MAN SHARES HIS LIVER TO SAVE HIS BROTHER'S LIFE
In February, Parsippany High School teacher Jared Wohl became a living liver donor for his younger brother, Cameron Wohl.
The operation, performed by two medical teams at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, saved the life of Cameron, now 25. Still, it took Cameron nearly two years to accept Jared's gift -- 65 percent of his healthy liver.
"A healthy liver grows back to three-quarters of its normal size in three months. It grows very fast," said Dr. Jean Emond, Cameron's surgeon and vice chair and chief of transplantation at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. "Functioning is normal in about three months. It will grow back to normal size in a year.
The brothers are promoting The WAVE SET, an organization they founded to educate people about organ donation and encourage them to donate.
"FIBER FAIRIES" LEAVE KNITTED HATS AND SCARVES ON MORRISTOWN GREEN STATUES FOR THE COLD AND NEEDY
When bone-shaking cold set in, in January, colorful scarves and hats started appearing on statues on the Morristown Green with notes attached that read: "If you need this to help keep you warm in this cold weather, then it is now yours. Life is good, pass it on. — The Morristown Fiber Fairy."
Preferring to stay anonymous, one of the Fiber Fairies said: "It is not about us, it's about the message. Each day we all have the chance to make someone's day brighter. Yet, how many of us take that challenge to heart and truly consider the difference we could make in the life of another person? So often, we think that making a difference involves spending a lot of money, helping many people or investing a lot of time. It doesn't have to."
CHAMBERS CENTER FOR WELL BEING OPENS AT MORRISTOWN MEDICAL CENTER
A $6 million, 20,000-square-foot center to serve as a hub for healers to practice integrative medicine opened in October. Atlantic Health System's Chambers Center for Well Being, named for benefactor Ray Chambers, founding chairman of the Points of Light Institute and private equity investor, had an opening that was celebrated with the appearances of Dean Ornish and Deepak Chopra, leaders in the field of integrative medicine that is devoted to treating a person's mind, body and spirit simultaneously.
Center Director Emilie Rowan said the center features 11 practitioner rooms for doctors; 15 treatment rooms; five doctors and a nurse practitioner to provide integrative medical care; and 40 practitioners in massage, acupuncture, craniosacral work, nutrition, lifestyle coaching and more.
The center also boasts Luvo Caf, which serves only healthy, natural or organic meals with gluten-free options; a Well Being Marketplace; a kitchen where cooking and nutrition will be taught; a fitness facility and multiple meeting rooms in which classes will be offered in emotional freedom techniques, Nia, Pilates, Qi Gong, Zumba, Jin Shin Jyutsu, and singing bowls.
HIGHLANDS HEALTH VAN, OFF-SHOOT OF ZUFALL HEALTH CENTER, TENDS TO DENTAL NEEDS OF MILITARY VETERANS
The Highlands Health Van, an eco-friendly mobile medical unit retrofitted to accommodate dental appointments, was started in the spring to benefit military veterans who may lack necessary funds to tend to oral health and hygiene.
The dental-van initiative, which county officials believe is unique in the nation, is the result of a partnership between Zufall and the Morris County Department of Human Services. Zufall employs 200 staffers, including 14 dentists, some of them gum and pediatric specialists. Its brick-and-mortar health and dental centers are in Dover, Morristown, Hackettstown, Somerville, and Flemington.
MOUNT OLIVE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE LEAPT TO SUCCESS
Keturah Orji's senior year was exemplary: she never lost the long or triple jump competition. Orji was the All Daily Record Girls Outdoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year for the third year in a row. She was the New Balance Nationals, Penn Relays, Meet of Champions, Group III, North 1 Group III, Morris County and NJAC-Large Schools champion in both the long jump and triple jump.
She holds the state record in the triple jump, and the county records in both – and is also part of the county record long and triple jump relays.
A gymnast since the third grade, she switched to the track team as a Mount Olive freshman. She was always faster than the boys while playing tag in elementary school, and that translated well to sprinting.
ROXBURY AND MORRIS KNOLLS MARCHING BANDS PERFORM AT SUPER BOW XLVIII
Members of the Roxbury High School Marching Band and Morris Knolls High School Marching Band had the thrilling experience of performing in the Super Bowl XLVIII Halftime extravaganza at MetLife Stadium in February.
Before 80,000 screaming fans at the stadium, they performed with Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers on one of the biggest prime-time stages in the world.
"It was absolutely unbelievable," said Sara Cummings, drum major for the Morris Knolls High School Marching Band. "Being on the field to rehearse with Bruno Mars was one thing. It was totally another to do it with all those lights all around, and the roar of the crowd. It was just amazing."
Marching band members from Morris Knolls, Roxbury, South Brunswick, Nutley and Bergenfield high schools recruited for the onfield band were reassigned to perform marching drills, dressed in all-black "ninja-style" outfits and carrying flexible, rectangular panels with 12 LED lights on them. The lights were synched to the halftime show and wool caps with similar lights, given to all ticket holders to wear during halftime with the goal of creating what organizers believed would be "the world's largest LED screen."
RANDOLPH MAN NAMED "BIG BROTHER OF THE YEAR" BY BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF AMERICA
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America named Tom Fascia of Randolph its Big Brother of the Year, an impressive honor since the mentoring network supports 200,000 matches between adult volunteers and youths nationally.
Fascia, a 33-year-old director at an executive search firm, is a "Big." Amir Howard of Morristown, now 14, is his "Little." They've been matched for eight years. Fascia has two children of his own and said he strives for "a good, nurturing relationship" with Amir.
The pair has enjoyed lots of adventures together, from Nets games and family cookouts to Wildwood vacations and trips to Carlo's Bake Shop or the Morristown and Morris Township Library. Because of the award, they had a new one — a June trip to Chicago to accept Fascia's award at the nonprofit's 2014 National Leadership Summit.
WAR HERO RECEIVES SERVICE DOG DURING "LEASH CEREMONY" AT PICATINNY ARSENAL
The Marines Care Foundation in July presented Spartan, a service dog, to Army Maj. Will Lyles of Texas during a leash ceremony at Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway Township.
The foundation is the charitable arm of the Whippany-based Lance Cpl. Robert J. Slattery Detachment of the Marine Corps League. It paid $15,000 for the organization K9 Soldiers in Frenchtown to train the German shepherd.
Lyles, now 33, served two tours in Iraq. On Aug. 28, 2010, during his third and final deployment in Oruzgan Province in Afghanistan, he stepped on a pressure-plate improvised explosive device (IED) during a firefight. He was serving with Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group.
"They were outnumbered. They were pinned down, and he went to get the radio to call in for fire support," said William Freeman, former commandant of the Slattery detachment and co-chair of the leash ceremony and event. "There was an IED and it was set off. Maj. Lyles has three Bronze Stars for valor and two Purple Hearts. He's the real thing."
The blast resulted in the loss of both of Lyles' legs above the knee and left him with shrapnel wounds, burns, and other injuries. When he arrived at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, he was on a ventilator and spent six weeks in intensive care battling infection and sepsis and losing six more inches of his upper legs.
Staff Writer Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; pwright@njpressmedia.com
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Photos by Bob Karp/Staff Photographer