White Plains’ Matthew Welling, a Crowd Favorite at Radio City and Madison Square Garden
The New York Knicks and their local NBA Developmental League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks are both enjoying successful seasons so far this year.
The Westchester Knicks are 7-2, after winning only 10 games all of last season. In fact, things are going so well this season for the Westchester Knicks that their Head Coach Mike Miller was named D-League Coach of the Month for November.
Jimmer Fredette, the Westchester Knicks first draft pick this season, is lighting-up the scoreboard at a pace of 27.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. However, Fredette has only played four games so far for the D-League Knicks this season.
Two days prior to the start of the season, Fredette was called-up by the NBA New Orleans Pelicans but returned to the Westchester Knicks on November 28. Fredette made his Westchester Knicks debut in spectacular fashion, while scoring 37 points against the Grand Rapids Drive, at the Westchester County Center, on November 30.
Downtown on 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue, the elder statesmen of the franchise, the NY Knicks are also riding their first round draft pick Kristaps Porzingis to a better season this year. The NY Knicks are 10-11, so far this season, after recording a dismal, 17-65 record last year.
Porzingis is certainly exciting the Madison Square Garden crowd, while averaging nearly a double-double with 14 points and over nine rebounds per game in 21 games.
Nonetheless, with all the excitement created by these aforementioned professional athletes, a young 10-year old boy from White Plains stole their thunder and touched many hearts when he sang at halftime of the NY Knicks versus Philadelphia 76ers game, on Wednesday, Dec. 2.
Matthew Welling, a fourth grade student at Mamaroneck Avenue School, spends much of his leisure time with his Music Therapists James Maxson and Donald Stevens at the Music Conservatory of Westchester in White Plains.
Welling as guided by his Music Therapist has transitioned into an accomplished drummer, keyboard player and vocalist at the young age of 10 years old.
But it is not Welling’s age concerning his accomplishments that separates him from other achievers of this sort. It is Welling’s determination with the help of his family, doctors, teachers and Music Therapists to overcome his serious health issues and pursue his love of music that differentiates him.
Welling was born with osteopetrosis, which is a rare inherited disorder that makes bones increase in size and fragility. Welling has endured two stem cell transplants and is also vision impaired.
The young 10-year old boy spent his first birthday at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and remained hospitalized there under treatment for 143 days.
After being released from Sloan Kettering, Welling remained in isolation at home for a year, while battling his illness. Then when Matthew was healthy enough, his parents Michael and Susie Welling, while seeking a place to incorporate their son back into the mainstream of society discovered the Music Conservatory of Westchester and the rest we say is history or Matthew’s fresh breath of life.
“We found the Music Therapy Program that we thought would be a good way for Matthew just to learn how to interact and play with other children. Little did we know that we were going to uncover this musical talent,” explained Matthew’s father, Michael Welling.
Matthew through the Make-A-Wish Foundation got the opportunity to display his musical talents when he was selected to audition for the Garden of Dreams Foundation Talent Show at Radio City Music Hall.
Stacey Ann Jackson, the Director of Program Experiences for the Garden of Dreams Foundation, was inspired by Welling’s performance, as was the capacity crowd at Radio City. Remarkably, as a result of his performance, Welling was invited to open this Holiday season’s Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular.
Escorted onstage by a member of the Rockettes and introduced by Ziggy Marley, who called Welling his “friend.” The young aspiring vocalist sang his own composition titled “Sunshine” to a standing ovation from the audience at Radio City.
Considering the overwhelming positive reaction from fans at Radio City, it was all the Garden of Dreams Foundation could do but to bring Welling back for an encore at the “World’s Most Famous Arena.”
Welling, as he was at Radio City, was accompanied by his Music Therapists James Maxson on saxophone and Donald Stevens on keyboards from the Music Conservatory of Westchester. “I have been working with Matthew since he was about four and a half years old. When he first came he was just a little guy exploring the world and just found how easily he gravitated towards music and grew from there,” said his Music Therapist Maxson.
The young White Plains resident, while standing center court at MSG, spurred the Garden crowd into frenzy, as he performed his composition “Sunshine” to a reggae style beat. “I felt really comfortable and the good thing was that the lights were not so bright so I was able to see and move around, take the crowd and blow them away,” said Welling backstage, after his memorable performance.
“Everyday, I feel like Matthew finds new ways for me to be proud of him. Today was just another day at a whole other level,” said Matthew’s father Michael.
“I am a proud Mama,” exclaimed Matthew’s mother Susie. “He amazes me everyday with his bravery, strength and talent. He is the happiest child I know,” she added.
Matthew’s grandmother and Susie Welling’s mother is Michele Schoenfeld, the longtime Clerk of the White Plains Public School’s Board of Education. Schoenfeld was also in attendance at Madison Square Garden enjoying her grandson’s performance.
Matthew’s evening was highlighted when Jimmy Fallon, the host of the Tonight Show, left his courtside seat and came backstage to congratulate him and invited Matthew to a lip-syncing contest on the Tonight Show.
