Community Star of the Week: July 20, 2020

NewYorkIslanders.com is spotlighting heroes who are helping their community! Nominate a community hero here!
It's impossible to tell Joseph Nizza is a ninth-grader when you speak to him.
The teenager is well-spoken, thoughtful and has a unique perspective on life, grief and community service.

He learned those lessons the hard way, as his mother, Dr. Natalie Assalone, tragically passed away from a rare form of mesothelioma in April of 2019, but how he channeled that loss into a charitable initiative is remarkable.
"My mom said that cancer would affect everyone's life and she was right, it's already affected my life on multiple occasions," Nizza said. "My fundraising efforts is to make sure that in the near future, hopefully, cancer doesn't need affect anyone's life and people can have the treatments available to them. That's why I'm raising money."
After his mother passed, Nizza, his brother, and their friends staged a fundraiser in her honor, selling World's Finest Chocolate bars for a month (May 2019) around P.J. Gelinas Junior High School in East Setauket. They had a modest goal of raising $1K for the American Cancer Society. They wound up raising $10K. Ten times their original goal.
"It exploded," Nizza said. "Everyone was selling chocolate for about a month. My brother helped me sell in a different school. And we set up a donation box at the spring concert. People didn't even buy chocolate, just out of the good of people's hearts, they donated to my cause."

Nizza set aside $3K for the American Cancer Society and started a scholarship with the remaining $7K. It's a tribute to his mother and will be given to a female senior graduating from Ward Melville High School looking to pursuing a career in medicine. Nizza's mother was a doctor, working in internal medicine.
"I hope to keep raising money throughout my life so the scholarship doesn't go away and mother's name never gets erased," Nizza said.
The teenager is planning on pursuing medicine when he's older, following in the footsteps of both his parents. Specifically he wants to be an oncologist, and continue to take the fight to cancer with his education, as well as his fundraising. His fundraising was also recognized by Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn in November.
By Nizza's account, his mother seemingly knew everyone in the community and was a charitable person, donating to a wide range of causes. It's evident in how the community has rallied around Nizza's family and his cause.
"When tragedy strikes, we all come together and if someone needs help, we always help them," Nizza said of his community.
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Nizza plans to keep fundraising and to preserve his mother's memory via the scholarship. It's his way getting through a difficult time, showing his love and paying his respects. He's also hoping his actions can help inspire others and while he is young, his words and message are thoughtful and powerful.
"I just want people to know if somebody in their family has cancer, or somebody else they know has cancer, or some other disease, tell them not to give up," Nizza said. "Even if that member of the family passes away, you have to celebrate their life and don't let your grief topple you. Once tragedy strikes, come back stronger. That's what my fundraiser was for me."
Nominated by Islanders Alumnus Steve Webb's Team Up 4 Community Program www.TeamUp4Community.org