Orphaned Springs Students Receive Help From Community

Springs School students Colin and Katalina Rodriguez lost their mother, Darcy Rodriguez, in the blink of an eye.Ms. Rodriguez learned in September that she had terminal lung cancer, a diagnosis that came too late for treatment. She quickly arranged for a childhood friend to take care of her son and daughter after her death, which came on October 30.

Colin, 13, and Katalina, 11, now live with Ms. Rodriguezs friend Carla Gagliotti, who promised shed take care of the twosome as best as she could. With two children of her own, 16-year-old Catherine and 22-year-old Alec, and a few rescue dogs, Ms. Gagliotti was afraid she wouldnt be able to fulfill her promise.

But with help from the community, she is now more hopeful.

Amagansett resident Allison Lupo put together a quick fundraiser on November 1 at the website gofundme.com, where, as of Monday, she had raised nearly $12,000 to help feed, clothe and provide for the family. Her original goal was $5,000.

Ms. Lupo, who used to babysit Ms. Rodriguez growing up in Amagansett, said she felt she had to do something when she found out that Colin and Katalina were without their mother. It was shocking, because no one really knew she was ill, and the next thing we knew she had passed, and there were two kids left behind, she said. It all just happened very, very quickly.

Ms. Lupo, who owns Astros Pizza and works as a nurse, said she never expected such an outpouring of compassion from the community.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever raise that amount of money, she said. Not only that but people are dropping by saying, What can we do? and giving money.

Ms. Gagliotti, a nurses aide and direct care worker for Catholic Guardian Services, said she is overwhelmed.

Its just phenomenal, she said on Monday. I barely make ends meet. Emotionally, I knew Id be able to do it. Physically, Im not in the best of health, but financially from the very beginning I felt scared that this is unrealistic for me. But now, I feel like I can do it. I dont feel scared.

Ms. Gagliotti faced a similar situation in 2009, when she took in two children and their father after her sister-in-law, Alba Ines Gonzalez, died of cancer at age 55. They stayed with Ms. Gagliotti for four years.

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Orphaned Springs Students Receive Help From Community