Fundraising Concert Scheduled To Help Hoboken And Sparta Teacher

HOBOKEN, NJ — Friends of a Hoboken and Sparta teacher who had a stroke in April have scheduled a virtual charity concert for him a week from Thursday.

Billy Connors, 53, was a teacher and coach in several school districts — including Hoboken, Sparta, Emerson, and Weehawken — and also used to own the Liberty Bar on 14th Street in Hoboken.

On April 15, he suffered a stroke and was flown by helicopter to Overlook hospital in Summit, according to his sister Debby. After he was taken off a ventilator, he was moved to Atlantic Rehab in Madison. He recently came home but is still being treated.

Friends and family have been raising money to help with his bills. Among those initiatives, they've scheduled a virtual concert and watch party a week from Thursday, with information here: https://fb.me/e/SKe246en

The event is called "Corona, Coors & Cocktails for Connors."

Another friend has also created "Good Vibes for Billy" shirts with proceeds going to his family:

https://coastalcoolusa.com/products/mens-good-vibes-for-billy-coastal-cool-usa-benefit-t-shirt

"His goal is to get back to doing what he loves," wrote his sister, Debby, on a GoFundMe, "and our goal is to help him get there without the extra burden of the enormous bills he is incurring. Billy resides in NJ with his wife Millie and 2 daughters, Yesenia (10) and Jamie (9) ... and their cat Clover."

Besides teaching business classes for more than 30 years, "He has been coaching as much as 3 sports during a single school year," Debby wrote, "including soccer, basketball, softball, football and lacrosse. He loves all aspects of his job but mostly helping the kids that need him most. The only thing he loves more than teaching/coaching are his daughters who he misses like crazy."

Billy's father, also named Billy, was also a beloved coach and teacher in Hoboken. The elder Billy passed away in 2014.

Connors also used to own the Liberty Bar on 14th Street, where he met his wife, Millie. He also had lived in Hoboken following college at St. Peters in Jersey City in the 1990s.

In 2008, Billy and Millie moved to Sparta.

The GoFundMe and updates are here.

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