Suffolk Legis. Samuel Gonzalez says he is back, and seeking re-election, after tough health ordeal

A routine roll call began with the deputy clerk of the Suffolk County Legislature reading the names of three lawmakers who dutifully acknowledged their attendance.

After the clerk announced the fourth name at a late July committee meeting, Legis. Samuel Gonzalez (D-Brentwood) leaned into the microphone, smiled and emphatically responded, "Present!"

He swiveled his head, savoring the moment.

A few months earlier, there was no guarantee that Gonzalez — a three-term legislator representing areas of Brentwood, Central Islip and Bay Shore — would ever return to sit among his colleagues. Beginning in late winter, Gonzalez underwent a series of health setbacks in rapid succession that required three surgeries.

In an interview with Newsday at his Brentwood office, Gonzalez, 64, recounted the challenges of his recovery, his motivation to return to office and the frustration of being sidelined during a tumultuous time for the largely Hispanic community he represents.

And he acknowledged the fear of the unknown as he underwent two serious operations.

"We wouldn’t be human if there wasn’t that little bit of concern and fear," he said. "Am I going to recover? Am I going to be the Sam that I’ve always been?"

Problems converge

Gonzalez, a longtime union leader who was first elected to represent the 9th Legislative District in a special election in 2019, has always been active. He ran track in his youth, and as an adult, his union work always kept him on his feet, he said.

He enjoys salsa dancing with wife, Aggie. 

But in early winter, a number of health issues he had been monitoring converged.

It began when an abdominal aortic aneurysm reached a critical point requiring surgery. The aneurysm was potentially life-threatening if it were to rupture and cause internal bleeding, doctors cautioned Gonzalez.

He underwent surgery and was moving around soon afterward. The recovery started off "unbelievable," he said.

But less than two weeks later, as he tried to get out of bed, he collapsed to the floor.

"I didn’t have any strength," he said.

He landed in an emergency room, where doctors began a series of tests.

Gonzalez was suffering from "severe degenerative disc disease" and an advanced case of spinal stenosis, a disease that causes a narrowing of the spinal canal, according to Dr. Salvatore Zavarella, a neurosurgeon and co-founder of NeuroCare Long Island in West Islip.

Gonzalez "was in pretty bad shape" and in "quite a bit of pain," Zavarella told Newsday.

He said Gonzalez had been undergoing a conservative treatment for several weeks before the fall. But there was minimal progress "because the spinal stenosis was so significant," the surgeon said.

Zavarella performed a "pretty complicated" lumbar spine surgery at South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore, he said. The procedure required reconstructing two discs, stabilizing his spine and decompressing nerves.

Following the lumbar surgery, Gonzalez began physical therapy and appeared on the road to recovery.

But soon after, his problems escalated. On a Saturday, he suddenly struggled to breathe. His legs were swelling. His skin tone turned purple.

He landed back in the emergency room.

Doctors determined Gonzalez needed a triple-bypass open-heart surgery. While he had suffered a heart attack in 2014 — and his father died just shy of his 45th birthday from a heart attack — Gonzalez said he had no sense how precarious his situation had become.

"It really caught me by surprise," he said.

Zavarella said it was a "double whammy" as the heart problems delayed his recovery from back surgery. He said Gonzalez was fortunate the heart problems didn’t occur sooner after the lumbar surgery.

"Any time you have surgery in one area it can stress the body and it can lead to cardiac events early after that surgery, which didn’t happen right away," he said.

Community reaction

As Gonzalez suffered one setback after another, he worried how the community would react to his absence. He credited his staff members for maintaining a presence at events and keeping up the day-to-day work, but he knew people would notice.

Marc Soto, executive director of Liga De Justicia Foundation, a nonprofit based in Brentwood, said he saw some "chirping" on social media when Gonzalez couldn’t attend rallies for immigrants amid the Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdown.

"But he’s resilient," said Soto, who's known Gonzalez for several years. "He's gotten back on his weekly radio show. He's discussed the issues in the community, including the presence of ICE and the importance of our immigrant community and our undocumented community."

Gonzalez said he urged his staff to keep him informed on important county issues, even as doctors cautioned to refrain from work.

Legis. Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon), the minority leader, said it was "excruciating" for Gonzalez to be away from his day-to-day responsibilities. He described Gonzalez, the only Hispanic legislator, as a "fighter," and said "it's important to have his voice at the table."

"He wanted to be out there," Richberg said. "But he also knew if he did that it would complicate his recovery. His health is what’s primary at this point in time."

Gonzalez said his motivation has been to get back to work. While he uses a cane for support as he walks, he said he’s keeping up his physical therapy and has progressed to treadmill work.

In November, he’ll be seeking reelection to a fourth term. He faces a Republican challenger, Guy Leggio, a Bay Shore native, Navy veteran and longtime wrestling coach at East Islip High School.

Asked if he’s healthy enough for another term, Gonzalez said: "I am ready to go. Not a problem."

In an interview, Leggio, 62, said he wishes Gonzalez "all the health in the world."

"I want him to get better, but I'm here, I'm coming," he said. "And I am one healthy guy."

'I'm back'

At the start of the July 30 Education & Diversity Committee meeting in Riverhead, Legis. Stephanie Bontempi (R-Centerport) welcomed Gonzalez, who received a round of applause from fellow lawmakers and those in attendance.

"We have missed you," Bontempi said. "We’re happy to see you looking good and healthy."

Reflecting on that moment, Gonzalez said it "opened a floodgate of emotions."

"It kind of said to me, officially, I’m back," he said.

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister joined Newsday in 2022 and covers Suffolk County government and politics. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

---