Siblings honor late brother with blankets

For nearly a decade, Matt and Adriana Tringone have been collecting donations for sick infants, a way to honor a sibling of their who died at a very young age.

In 2002, their younger brother, Michael, died when he was just two months old. Matt and Adriana started Blankets for Babies, and over the years have collected hundreds of items for St. Mary’s Hospital in Queens. The hospital serves babies who were born sick and need around-the-clock care.

“It’s a good feeling to know that I’m helping so many families,” Matt said. “I’m hoping one day they’ll give to the community as well.”

Because Blankets for Babies is not a registered non-profit agency, they can’t collect any money. But they do collect blankets, clothing and toys for infants. Many of the donations come from the faculty and staff at Willow Road School where Matt and Adriana’s mother, Vita, works as a kindergarten teacher.

They have also received donations from neighbors, friends and classmates over the year. The Tringones typically visit St. Mary’s hospital once a year to drop off the donations they have collected, most recently during February break.

This year, with Adriana off at college, Matt collected and sorted the donations by himself. He and a few friends from South High School, where he is in 10th grade, also made a few blankets themselves. Matt said that with all of them working together, they could make a blanket in about 10 minutes.

“I’m very proud of Matthew for carrying on this charity,” said Adriana, 19, who attends Loyola University in Maryland.

Adriana spoke about the importance of providing the babies with “home-like” comfort while in the hospital. Additionally, she said, parents don’t have to worry about buying those items while they are concerned with the health of their infant child. “I thought it would be really nice for families who are at such a difficult time in their lives,” she said about starting the charity when she was just 11 years old.

When Michael was sick, he spent six weeks in South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside before moving to St. Mary’s for two weeks. He received blankets, clothing and other necessities while in the hospital, items that were donated by people like the Tringones. Touched by the support their young brother received, Matt and Adriana started their charity. “We wanted to give back to those that gave to us,” Matt said.

This year, when Matt and his mother brought the donations to St. Mary’s, it took two trips to the car to bring all the items in. “They appreciate it a lot,” Matt said, “because they know it takes a lot of time to do those things.”

Matt, 15, said he would also like to get his school more involved next year. At South, he plays on the varsity volleyball team and is on the executive board for the Falcon Report, the school’s weekly news program.

Vita Tringone praised the efforts of her two children, for how they have chosen to honor their late brother. “I’m very proud of both of them,” she said. “It’s a great way to spend their time, doing something good for others.”