A heartbreaking tragedy struck the Staten Island community on New Year’s Day, casting a shadow over the joyous beginning of the year. Rory DeCristoforo, a vibrant 6-year-old girl, lost her life in a devastating house fire in West Brighton. The daughter of Mark and Meg DeCristoforo, Rory’s untimely departure has left the community in mourning, grappling with the profound sorrow of losing such a young and promising soul.
Rory was not just any child; she was the cherished daughter of Mark DeCristoforo, the athletic director and head football coach at St. Peter’s Boys High School. Described as a “dark-haired, blue-eyed beauty with a playful, loving spirit,” Rory brought immense joy to her family, friends, and the broader community. As the news of her passing reverberated through Staten Island, an outpouring of grief and support enveloped the DeCristoforo family.
A GoFundMe campaign was initiated to provide financial assistance to the grieving family, and the response was overwhelming. The fundraising page, created to ease the burden of funeral and burial costs, rapidly garnered an outpouring of donations. A GoFundMe campaign was initiated to provide financial assistance to the grieving family, and the response was overwhelming.
The fundraising page, created to ease the burden of funeral and burial costs, rapidly garnered an outpouring of donations. The St. Peter’s community, along with the combined parish of Our Lady of Good Counsel, St. Peter-St. Paul, and Assumption, immediately stepped forward to support the DeCristoforo family in their time of need.
John Fodera, president of St. Peter’s, expressed the school’s commitment to alleviating the family’s financial burdens, covering funeral and burial costs, and providing catered food for the family in the weeks to come. In times of tragedy, communities often come together to offer solace and support, and the St. Peter’s community has exemplified this spirit of solidarity.
John Fodera, president of St. Peter’s, described Rory as “a sweetheart of a girl.” “This is such a tragic event,” Fodera said. “A tragedy of a house burning is something that is unfathomable to believe, but when a life is lost, there are no words.” As a parent and grandfather himself, Fodera said, “I can’t fathom how a parent handles something like this. It’s unimaginable.” The local community of a 6-year-old Staten Island girl killed in a house fire on New Year’s Day is coming together to support her family amid the tragic loss raising hundreds of thousands of dollars
