42 THE QUEENS COURIER • JANUARY 11, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Living In Whitestone
Local restaurant plans fundraiser for a sick Whitestone infant
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
smonteverdi@qns.com / @smont76
Th e Whitestone community continues
to rally around a local family caring for
an infant battling an uncommon illness.
Stevie Skaats, now 7 months old, was
born on June 4 with a rare genetic disease.
Aft er 150 days in the hospital, Stevie was
able to be brought home by happy parents,
Ann and Steve.
But Stevie’s treatment didn’t end there,
grandmother Maria Cotty shared with
QNS. Care for the infant includes medical
equipment to facilitate breathing and
eating, 20-hour attention from registered
nurses and daily visits from a team of
physical and speech therapists.
Stevie and his parents have also been
traveling back and forth from Canada,
where the youngster is being evaluated
and observed.
Aft er hearing about Stevie’s journey,
Luigi Forte, owner of local Italian
restaurant Buona Forchetta, contacted
the family and asked if he could
assist by off ering his space as a venue
for a fundraiser. Th e family graciously
accepted, Cotty said.
On Jan. 16, the eatery at 168-68 Ninth
Ave. will host a night out for a good
cause. Buona Forchetta will off er a fourcourse
meal and live entertainment to
guests for $100 per person, with 75 percent
of the proceeds going to Stevie’s
fund. Interested parties should RSVP to
the restaurant at 718-767-2000.
Th e upcoming fundraiser is just one
of the many ways the local community
has off ered a helping hand, Cotty said.
Numerous residents have donated through
a GoFundMe page set up for Stevie and his
parents by the infant’s aunt. In total, over
$20,000 has been collected through the site.
At Christmastime, Cotty took to the We
Love Whitestone Facebook group to see if
anyone had a Santa suit they could donate
to bring some holiday cheer to the family’s
newest member. Th e response was
immediate.
Th e proud grandmother said Stevie just
got his fi rst tooth on New Years Eve,
lights up when his parents put hockey on
the television and has red hair.
“We have no idea how Stevie got red
hair, but he’s got cute, cute red hair,”
Cotty said, laughing. “He can give a smile
every once in a while. He’s just too cute …
And he’s doing well in spite of all of what
he’s going through.”
Th e family’s fi rst holiday season with
the youngster was a happy one, Cotty
remembered. Stevie’s aunts, uncles and
grandparents gathered to visit him in
his Whitestone home. Cotty’s husband
proudly dressed up as Santa for his new
grandson.
“It was a very special holiday for us,”
Cotty said.
Th ose interested in donating to the
family or keeping up with Stevie’s progress
can visit the GoFundMe page at
www.gofundme.com/stevie-skaats-medical
fund.
Photo courtesy of the Skaats family
Stevie Skaats
Quick Whitestone facts
Note: Census fi gures for
the 11357 ZIP code
Population: 39,150
Median age: 44.9
Male population: 18,574 (47.4%)
Female population: 20,576 (52.6%)
Average household size: 2.56
Total housing units: 16,023
Occupied units: 15,149 (94.5%)
Median household income: $73,750
Foreign-born population: 13,125
(33.5%)
Individuals below poverty level: 6%
Students attaining at least a high
school diploma: 85.9%
NYPD 109th Precinct
37-05 Union St., Flushing, Phone
718-321-2250
Representatives in government
Congress: Tom Suozzi
Assembly: Ed Braunstein and Daniel
Rosenthal
State Senate: Tony Avella
City Council: Paul Vallone