Life of Brendan Frail Memorialized with Park Bench at Field of Dreams

A memorial bench at the Harrison Apar Field of Dreams, funded by friends and family in memory of , is a fitting tribute to honor the young man.

The bench was dedicated to Brendan Frail with a ceremony held on Saturday, May 21. The 2008  graduate and Providence College student passed away last year when he of the old Putnam railroad bridge over the Croton Reservoir.

The Harrison Apar Field of Dreams in Yorktown Heights is a poignant venue. In 2003, Frail, along with a fellow seventh grader Alison Belcastro, led a petition to rename the Pinetree Field in memory of his brother Kieran’s friend, Harrison Apar, who had a rare form of dwarfism. 

“Every time I hear Harrison Apar Field of Dreams, I hear Brendan. I see Brendan. I feel Brendan,” Bruce Apar, the father of Harrison, said during his speech. “For while a field or a bench in no way can replace our children, they can help to dull the pain.”

Recreation facilities in Yorktown had never been named after a child, according to Apar and Maria Gallagher, Yorktown Parks and Recreation Supervisor at the time. However, after Frail and Belcastro’s presentation to the Yorktown Parks and Recreation Commission, Yorktown’s history was changed, and the park was renamed exactly as Frail proposed. 

“What took place that night was magical,”Gallagher said. “After the group made their presentation and left the room, the Recreation Commission sat in silence for a long time.”

The Blossom Ridge neighborhood in Yorktown Heights, where Frail lived, spearheaded the idea of installing the memorial bench. Family and friends led the fundraising efforts for the bench.

“I’m overwhelmed and speechless about this labor of love from my neighbors and friends,” Brendan's mother Diane Frail said.

On Saturday, members of the Yorktown community and the Frail family gathered to witness the formal presentation of the bench and share memories of Frail. A softball game and pot-luck dinner followed on the field.

“We lost a wonderful person,” Yorktown Town Supervisor Susan Siegel said. “This is a nice way to always remember him.” 

Frail’s neighbors Jim Kaishian, Robert Davis, and Robert Gironda reminisced in their speeches about how Frail used to altruistically offer his help that ranged from carrying groceries to cleaning gutters.

“In the 19 years that Brendan was on earth, I think he gave 30 days for every one day that the average person would give in terms of love,” Kaishian said. “That’s the kind of energy he had, that’s the kind of love he had, that’s the kind of legacy he has. He wasn’t afraid to reach out and touch lives positively.”

Since the loss of Frail, support has been pouring out from the community. Soon after his passing, a memorial site was created at the bridge where he fell on August 22, 2010. such as photos, flowers, and Providence Friars (NCAA Division I teams) gear.

A Facebook fan page, R.I.P. Brendan Frail, has over 2,000 members. “Fans” – those close to him and even those who never met him – have left messages expressing sadness and memories about him.

Frail, a National Honor Society student at YHS, was a member of the Boys Varsity Swim Team, the Wind Ensemble, and the Jazz Band. He also served the Yorktown community as a counselor at the Yorktown Day Camp. He was loved by his campers, as many of them wrote on his Facebook fan page.

He was about to become a junior at Providence where he was majoring in elementary/special education. The Providence College News commented on his enthusiasm as a student and his aspiration to be a teacher. It was also noted that as a freshman, he helped start the “Friar Faithful” athletic club that boosted team spirit at games. Friar Faithful Frail made his mark at athletic events by leading cheers while dressed in costumes.

“We make a living by what we earn, but we make a lifetime of what we give,” Yorktown Town Councilman Vishnu Patel said.

Frail will continue to bless the community, as part of the funds from the total sum of over $2,000 collected for the bench will be allocated for the Brendan Frail Memorial Scholarship for a student at Yorktown High School who is a mentor and friend to all. Money will annually be collected for this scholarship.

Brendan Frail, "A Friend to All" as inscribed on the bench, will be further remembered.  At the ceremony, Westchester County Legislator Mike Kaplowitz proclaimed May 21, 2011 Brendan Michael Frail Day in Westchester County.

What are your memories of Brendan Frail?