From the hallways to the gymnasium and now the street sign across from Sachem North, former Sachem teacher and coach Matthew DiStefano is a constant presence.
Today, his legacy grew as a new street sign bearing his name was installed at the corner of Smith Road and Midland Boulevard. It will forever be known as Matthew “Dezy” DiStefano Way.
DiStefano, a Sachem alum, died in January 2020 after a fight with kidney cancer. He was 42 when he passed and has left a lasting legacy through his work with The Dezy Strong Foundation, which has been a positive voice and influence for others suffering from cancer.
“When people find out they have cancer, they think their life is over,” Dezy said when he was alive. “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.”
An inductee of the Sachem Athletic Hall of Fame and Mount Saint Vincent Athletic Hall of Fame when he was alive, he has also received posthumous honors with induction into the Suffolk County Sports Hall of Fame and Sachem Hall of Honor, and the basketball court was named in his honor at Sachem North.
