Sachem alum, teacher, coach remembered after battling cancer and launching foundation
After capturing the hearts and minds of countless individuals through his Dezy Strong Foundation, and after battling valiantly against a rare form of kidney cancer, Sachem alum, teacher and coach Matt DiStefano has passed away. He was 42.
DiStefano, affectionately known as “Dezy,” graduated from Sachem in 1996, and was a teacher and coach at his alma mater. He was inducted to the Sachem Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017.
During the summer of 2019, Dezy and a group of close friends and family launched the “Dezy Strong Foundation,” to be a positive voice and influence for those suffering from cancer.
“When people find out they have cancer, they think their life is over,” said DiStefano during the debut golf outing for the foundation. “For me it’s different. For me it’s the beginning of something special in life. A life in which I can help others change their way of mentally approaching the disease, learning to be a warrior, a fighter, and have hope.”
In the months after launch, Dezy spoke at dozens of high schools and colleges with teams, and student-athletes to share his vision. As the mission statement reads, they acknowledge that having cancer can be foundation-shaking, but they also believe that a strong foundation can shake without breaking.
“We are dedicated to fighting cancer and are committed to support those who are affected by it. To be Dezy Strong is to be courageous, be passionate, be positive, be competitive, be humble and to be a fighter.”
In December during the holiday season, perhaps his most selfless act was delivering gifts to sick children in or around the Sachem community, while he was deeply suffering in his own fight. He had a smile on his face and lit up the lives of those he touched in his final weeks and months.
Through a series of posts about his progress and fight, he kept thousands updated on his social media accounts and never wavered. Until his final hours he remained positive, hopeful and strong.
As a volleyball player, he was a two-time Suffolk County MVP in 1994 and 1995 and named as the Most Outstanding Senior on Long Island in 1995. As a team captain, he helped lead Sachem to two Suffolk County volleyball titles in 1994 and 1995 and a 36-0 record during his time on the varsity. During the 1996 basketball season, he was Sachem’s top defender on the only boys Suffolk County championship season in district history.
He was also a two-sport athlete at Mount Saint Vincent – three if you count the year of soccer he played as a sophomore. Amidst a number of accolades from his post-high school days are most notably being inducted to the NECVA Volleyball Hall of Fame, having his volleyball number retired at Mount Saint Vincent and being inducted to the Mount Saint Vincent Hall of Fame.
Dezy has also been a Sachem coach for the last 19 years in various capacities for both volleyball and basketball at the varsity and junior varsity levels. He and fellow Sachem North boys volleyball coach and alum Matt Rivera reached the pinnacle, guiding the Flaming Arrows to a New York State title and No. 1 ranking in the state in 2014.
This spring DiStefano’s legacy will continue to grow as he will be inducted to the Suffolk Sports Hall of Fame at a ceremony at Watermill Caterers in Smithtown on May 26.
His foundation also recently announced the Dezy Strong Blue & Orange Ball that will take place on April 3 at Villa Lombardi’s in Holbrook.
Matt is survived by his wife Jennifer, and three children, his parents, sisters, their families, and countless friends and colleagues.
Information about services and remembrances will be posted when available.