P’ville Softball Teams Honor Lupo, Remember Star Athlete
Three months after Pleasantville was rocked by the unexpected death of high school senior Quentin Lupo, longtime rival softball teams came together last week to honor the basketball star.
Standing on the pitcher’s mound at Pleasantville’s Parkway Field last Thursday evening, Jon Lieb, captain of the Moonlight Graham team and a neighbor of the Lupo family, described Lupo as a special person who was loved by so many throughout the community.
“When I think of Quentin, two words immediately come to mind – friendship and competition,” Lieb said. “He was so kind and soft-spoken and fun to hang out with.”
Lieb said Lupo played on the Moonlight Graham team during several of last season’s games, helping them win their Pleasantville Men’s Softball League championship over Team Foley’s.
Foley’s team member Jack Bramswig, a former Pleasantville High School standout athlete and currently a member of the Indoor Football League’s Green Bay Blizzard, said he played every game this year with Lupo’s initials written on his cleats to remind him of Lupo’s undying devotion to sports.
“It’s a testament to the kind of guy Quentin was, who he was, what he stood for and how hard he worked for everything he accomplished in his life,” Bramswig said.
Lupo, a 6-foot-4 forward, was the second-leading scorer on the Panthers’ varsity basketball team during this past season in his senior year, helping Pleasantville capture the Section 1, Class B title. He was awarded All-Section and All-Conference honors and was recognized by other coaches in Class B throughout the state.
Both softball teams came together on June 29 for a regularly scheduled game, but beforehand presented last year’s championship trophy to Lupo’s younger brother Justin, who just completed his junior year. The trophy contained an inscribed plaque that read, “To Justin Lupo, In memory of Quentin Lupo. #30 always a champion. Trust the process.”
Justin Lupo said he is grateful for the unexpected gift because it helps him to honor his late brother.
“It’s a tangible object that I can keep in my house, and it’s not just a memory but also something I can keep in my room to honor him,” he said.
On Apr. 12, Quentin Lupo, 18, committed suicide, according to police. It appeared Lupo died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound while staying at his father’s house in Greenburgh.
While no new details have emerged since Lupo’s death, his mother, Lucy Diaz, said she still looks back to that day and wonders why he did what he did.
“He didn’t realize how many people loved him,” Diaz said. “His brother misses him a lot, it’s really hard for us. We miss him very much.”
Diaz added how appreciative she is for the outpouring of support the community has provided her family.
Along with Justin, who threw out the first pitch with a few of his brother’s closest friends, Pleasantville resident and photographer Chad Kraus threw out a second pitch in honor of his brother-in-law, Ruari O’Shea, who took his own life last November at the age of 30.
“I think a big part of Ruari’s memory is that he was really loved by everyone. He had a bright, bright soul and the only thing brighter than that was his smile,” Kraus said.
After the death of O’Shea, who also grew up in Pleasantville, Kraus said he was introduced to a community of people who had experienced similar devastation. He would like to see last week’s ceremony help advance awareness on mental health issues.
“A lot of people don’t want to talk about suicide and mental illness,” Kraus said. “If we can break that stigma a little bit, more people would be more open to listening to each other and helping each other instead of having pre-conceived notions about one another.”
Lieb is hopeful community members will continue to honor Lupo and provide family and friends with support while having his spirit continue to live on.
“I would love to see us continue to make memories like this tonight that honor Quentin, who he was, how he treated others and how he was a champion in life,” Lieb said.
