‘Long Island Medium’ star Theresa Caputo, NFL alums at John Theissen Children’s Foundation gala
Theresa Caputo, the star of TLC's "Long Island Medium," strikes a pose along with a pair of Islanders Ice Girls during a benefit for the John Theissen Children's Foundation at Mulcahy's of Wantagh. (Dec. 5, 2013) Credit: Tara Conry
Sporting a black, leather dress, spiked heels and her signature coiff, Theresa Caputo, star of TLC’s “Long Island Medium” television series, entered an upstairs room at Mulcahy’s of Wantagh Thursday night to greet her fans.
Nancy Zuch, 48, of Bay Shore, was first in line with a copy of Caputo’s book, “There’s More to Life Than This,” in her hand. She said she wanted Caputo to autograph it for her daughter, Morgan, 15, for Christmas, but that wasn’t the only reason she was there.
Zuch and hundreds of others filled Mulcahy’s for the 13th annual John Theissen Children’s Foundation Holiday Gala. The benefit raises money for the charity, which helps sick and needy children and their families.
“We’re very big supporters of John,” said Zuch, referring to Theissen, who founded the not-for-profit in 1992.
Since then, the charity has collected more than 550,000 new toys for sick and underprivileged children staying in hospitals and child care facilities across Long Island. It’s also donated therapeutic and recreational equipment, helped families pay medical expenses and fulfilled children’s wish lists.
“I love that his charity puts smiles on the children’s faces,” said Zuch, who runs The Morgan Center, a preschool for children with cancer in Hicksville that she named after her daughter, a leukemia survivor.
Caputo is also a fan of Theissen’s work, saying she didn’t hesitate when asked to participate in the gala. He also recruited former New York Giants Ottis Anderson, Stephen Baker and Hall of Famer Harry Carson, and former New York Jets Freeman McNeil and Greg Buttle. Guests who purchased VIP tickets enjoyed an intimate meet-and-greet with the celebrities, but everyone who attended had a chance to see them as they helped Theissen auction off a number of items.
Playing the role of auctioneer, Anderson was able to get a combined $1,500 for two of his signed jerseys, $1,200 for a helmet signed by all members of the New York Giants’ 1986 Super Bowl Championship team, and $1,000 for an autographed Carson jersey.
To entice bidders, he said Carson would sign whatever they wanted on the jersey.
“He said he will even come over and baby-sit your kids,” Anderson added.
The winning bid went to a man wearing a Santa suit.
Carson, 60, said he was happy to spend the night raising money to help young people and reminiscing with fans that remember seeing him play for the Giants in the late 1970s and 1980s.
“A lot of guys will say, ‘You look like you can still play, we could use you now,’ ” he said.
Lifelong Giants fan Claudio Facchini, 62, of Wantagh, said he enjoyed rubbing elbows with some of his sports idols, but didn’t lose sight of purpose of the event.
“John is dedicating his life to helping children who need it and that’s why we’re here,” he said. “We’re here for them.”
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