Community Rallies Behind 12-year-old After Mom Dies Of COVID-19

WEST BABYLON, NY — The local community came together to support a West Babylon 12-year-old softball player through a fundraiser started after her mother died from the coronavirus recently.

Doreen Stannish, who known in West Babylon as the "team mom," unexpectedly died of COVID-19 last month, leaving behind her mother, brother, husband, and 12-year-old daughter, Martina.

After Stannish's death, the Long Island Pride Fastpitch and Eric Martinez started a GoFundMe page to help raise money for Martina's future.

"It was through softball that Martina and Doreen shared their greatest bonds. They both shared an unmatched love and passion for the game," the page reads. "Doreen played an active and vital role within our softball community and with the Long Island Pride organization."

According to the page, Stannish was Martina's biggest fan and a "boisterous supporter" of the team. She was very involved in helping the team, managing all the travel accommodations for them.

"Her vibrant and larger-than-life personality made our Pride team more of a Pride family," the page reads.

To help honor Stannish's wishes, the GoFundMe was started to raise money for Martina's education. She is currently enrolled in honors classes and maintains honor roll status as a student at her middle school in West Babylon.

"Doreen and Martina shared ambitious goals of continuing her softball career while receiving a high-level education and had been working very hard towards those goals," the page reads. "No 12-year-old should be left without their mother. It is our responsibility to be that 'village' it takes."

The goal of the page is to raise a total of $20,000 to help Martina. As of Tuesday, the fundraiser has raised $14,040 all of which will be managed by her grandmother.

"We are calling on the entire softball community and to anyone who has had the pleasure of knowing Doreen to find it in their hearts to assist in any way possible to ensure that Doreen's vision and wishes for Martina's future and education are sought out," the page reads.

To read more or to donate, visit the GoFundMe page here.