2024 Red, White and Blue Honoree

Marty Glick’s impact spans far beyond his professional achievements. Over the past two decades, he has played a pivotal role in the growth of HLA, now serving as the executive vice president of Divisional Sales at National Convenience Distributors. Beyond his corporate endeavors, Marty is a devoted family man, proudly embracing his roles as a husband, father of two, and grandfather of four. Yet, Marty’s contributions extend even further into his community, where he shines as a beacon of altruism and leadership.

For nearly 10 years, Marty and NCD have actively supported the American Cancer Society, with Island Coffee as their yearly sponsor. His involvement in the annual “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” event and his work with The INN food pantry is nothing short of inspiring and selfless. Marty’s compassionate spirit is evident in his willingness to volunteer, raise donations, and spread awareness for causes close to his heart. Despite his sarcastic sense of humor, which adds a unique charm to his personality, Marty’s empathy and genuine concern for others shine through. To know Marty is to be touched by his kindness and to recognize the immense impact he has on those around him.

2024 Red, White and Blue Honoree

Don and I both grew up in Queens. We were four years apart, but the universe always seemed to have a way of making sure we bumped into each other from time to time. During those encounters, he would always smile and say hello. I would blush, and then blush a bit more than the last encounter. Then many years went by as our lives went on. We both got married and had children.

In 2002, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, which was a very difficult time in my life. One evening I was having dinner with my sister, Maria, and my brother-in-law, Lou, and the universe spoke again. I walked into the restaurant, and Don, who I haven’t seen in years, was with a group of men. He looked at me and smiled. I smiled back. After dinner, as I was leaving, he stood up and said, “Nina?” I said, “Don?” We both hugged and talked a bit about our old neighborhood. He proceeded to ask me if we could get together for lunch and reminisce. I said, “Yes.”.

We eventually met for lunch and started a true friendship. He was so understanding while my mom was in the hospital. I would sleep there, and he would show up with breakfast and food for the nurses. His heart was larger than life. Our friendship grew into a love story, and we were married in 2007. We had a beautiful wedding. We were truly soulmates, and in our wedding invitation, there was an insert with the very definition of it. “Soulmate: A person ideally suited to another as a close friend or romantic partner.”

In November of 2015, our world changed, and Don was diagnosed with glioblastoma. We immediately went to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and hoped for a miracle. Surgery was performed, but only to help him become a candidate for a trial drug, which kept him alive for a little longer. On October 10^th, 2016, my soulmate lost his battle surrounded by all of his loved ones at home. He has made such an impact on so many lives. Some of the funny things he would tell young men getting married were to always tell your wife, “YES, dear!” and that the secret to a successful marriage was “Happy Wife, Happy Life.”.

When he was diagnosed, I immediately started to research glioblastoma and knew he would need a lot of caregiving. At this time, it was all about him. I made sure his medications were taken at specific times of the day. His hygiene was always extremely important to him, so I would make sure he continued to have his privacy and dignity. His appetite was amazing, and that truly made me very happy during this time. I felt honored to be his caregiver, which gave us so much more time together. When the weather started to get warmer in the spring, I would take him outside with a blanket, and he would love to feed his koi fish and listen to this CD of Italian music that we purchased on our last trip to Venice. He would hold my hand and say, “Look at what we built together and look all around the yard”.

I must share with you one more thing that still, to this day, melts my heart. Even with all of his medications and treatments, he decided to put a tattoo of my eyes on his shoulder. “My dearest Nina, my brown-eyed girl.” I asked him, “Why did you get this tattoo?” He answered, “You always had my back!”