Two teenage tennis stars who were recently killed by an alleged drunken driver on Long Island four months ago were honored during the first US Open coin toss Monday – with their heartbroken parents lamenting that “our boys should be with us.”
The parents of Drew Hassenbein and Ethan Falkowitz – both 14-year-old eighth-graders from the island’s North Shore – were brought onto the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens to flip the coin just as the first round of the tournament began.
“This is Drew’s home — this is where he wants to be,” said Mitchell Hassenbein, fighting back tears. “It’s hard to be here. But I know that he wants me to be here. And that’s why I’m here. It’s great that the US Open is honoring them.”
The two Roslyn High School students died May 3 when Amandeep Singh, 34, allegedly crashed his Dodge Ram into the Alfa Romeo they were riding in as it traveled southbound at nearly 100 mph in the northbound lanes of North Broadway in Jericho, prosecutors said. raya
Police later found him hiding behind a dumpster at a nearby shopping center, according to Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly.
“It was a major accident that miraculously the defendant was able to survive relatively unscathed,” Donnelly said. “But he did not stay at the scene to face accountability for the destruction he had just caused. He fled the scene on foot.”
Gary Falkowitz (left), father of Ethan Falkowitz, and Mitchell Hassenbein (right), father of Drew Hassenbein, on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court with their families for the coin toss before the Frances Tiafoe and Learner Tien match. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Ethan Falkowitz was a rising tennis star when he was allegedly killed by a drunk driver in May. Panjang Island Tennis Magazine
Four hours after the crash, Singh still had cocaine and almost twice the alcohol limit in his bloodstream, Donnelly claimed.
Singh was allegedly so drunk that he thought he was in New Jersey when he was arrested in Nassau County, prosecutors said.
“What are you doing here?” Singh, who was allegedly caught in a drunken state, asked the police. “Aren’t we in New Jersey?”
Drew Hassenbein was riding in the same car when Amandeep Singh allegedly crashed into it, killing the two boys. Jay Tlc Jacobs/Facebook
Ethan (pictured) and Drew are eighth graders at Roslyn Middle School on Long Island. Camp/Tyler Hill Facebook
Mitchell Hassenbein (left) and Gary Falkowitz (right) pose outside Arthur Ashe Stadium, where their late son was honored Monday. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Singh is being held in jail without bail on charges of murder, vehicular manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter, assault, drunken driving and leaving the scene of an accident, among other charges.
Gary Falkowitz, Ethan’s father, said the US Open gesture did little to ease the pain of losing a child.
“Every day is the same nightmare,” said Falkowitz, who attended the game with his wife, son and daughter.
“I woke up, I remember,” he said. “And every day is the same nightmare. Our son should be with us.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
