Page 11 - North Star Magazine 2022

to do anything in order to stay financially afloat. Although not everyone is, the majority are nurses, doctors, firefighters, police officers, etc. Because of their jobs being more intense during the pandemic, many families had to make sacrifices such as family dinners. Having such a strong community means COVID has really put a strain on Staten Islanders’ lives.
I decided to ask William Beale, my father, a few questions. Not
to my surprise he was very humble about all his actions. William was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Growing up he didn’t have much money; his mom is an immigrant from Ireland who came here alone when she was only 16. He never attended college, but, rather, became a police officer. When he finally retired, he went to college in his 50s to become a radiologist, because he wanted to continue working. The reason he became a radiologist is still unknown to him, besides the simple fact he wanted to continue helping people in a different way. Despite all the trouble and hard work he put in to give his family a better life he claimed, “I would do it again in a heartbeat for my children.” His work ethic is astonishing and has inspired me. When discussing the pandemic and how he had to work during it he said:
Although I have sacrificed quality time with my family and had to change our dynamic drastically, in my opinion it was worth it for the world and other people who may not be as fortunate as us. I am okay with giving up things such as family dinner, considering the people I had to treat didn’t have a choice to give those things up. It’s all about making a difference and putting others first.
Those words left a huge impact on my life and made me realize just how strong the people of Staten Island are. No matter what is thrown our way, just as Mr. W said we are here for a greater purpose.
Although family dinners may not seem as important to other people, having COVID strip them away from me was something that has left an impact on me. Seeing just how fast one factor
can change a family’s dynamic can be challenging. This is just one example of how resilient Staten Islanders are and just how far they will go in order to serve people. Even when times were rough,