Just after announcing that he and his wife Nikole would be having their fourth child, Carmine Durso, who co-owns 25 North Ristorante in Mamaroneck on Route 1, learned that he would have to have a brain tumor removed.
Luckily, the operation to remove the tumor was successful. However, Durso will now have to endure a long recovery effort that will incur many medical bills, according to his friend, Kelly Burmeister Alexa Varela of Harrison, who has started a GoFundMe fundraiser to help the Durso family manage their expenses.
"Carmine and his growing family have a long road ahead," Varela wrote on the fundraiser page, adding, "We know Carmine has had such a positive effect on the community and we hope we can give back to him."
Durso is well-known to those who visit 25 North, as he is often seen greeting patrons or handling their orders at the eatery, according to his friend, Mary Lanza.
"If you’ve ever been to 25 North, Carmine has greeted you with his infectious smile or he’s organized your family party or handled your takeout order or just gave you a warm 'hello, dear' as he walked by," Lanza wrote in a social media post, adding, "Please consider supporting him and his family just like he supports this community."
Evidently, the community that Durso supports is determined to repay the favor, as a whopping $72,000 has already been raised for his family through the fundraiser. The GoFundMe's ultimate goal was to reach $50,000.
"No donation is too big or small so please consider donating to this wonderful family," Varela wrote.
Those wishing to contribute to the GoFundMe page can do so by clicking here.
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