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Blood Drive Honors Tappan Zee Athletic Director Recovering From Aneurysm

ORANGEBURG, N.Y. - Tappan Zee High School will host a blood drive in June to honor and support its longtime athletic director, who is recovering from a brain aneurysm. 

Liam Frawley

Liam Frawley

Photo Credit: BJ Greco, South Orangetown Central School District

Daily Voice visited with the Tappan Zee Crazees, as they supported the Dutchmen and hospitalized AD Liam Frawley this past winter.

Photo Credit: Skip Pearlman

The Frawley Strong Drive will last 12 hours on June 2 from 8:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. and will honor Liam Frawley, 47, the district's athletic director for the past 11 years. Frawley is currently recovering from a brain aneurysm that hemorrhaged earlier this year in January. 

"Liam is the most selfless person I have ever worked with in my life. He will do anything for anyone but he tries not to be in the limelight," South Orangetown Central School District spokeswoman BJ Greco said. "I call him a coach for all seasons." 

The school blood drive was something Frawley always attended and supported by ensuring the district's blood drive team had space. Last year, he awarded the team with varsity letters for their work, Greco said. 

Physicians at Helen Hayes Hospital continue to perform operations on Frawley as they try to control the pressure in his head. Frawley also requires extensive speech therapy and is being re-taught to effectively swallow. 

Frawley founded the Tappan Zee Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009, and the New City resident and Bronx native was recently honored with the National Federation of State High School Associations' Educator of the Year award. 

Frawley's career has seen him also serve as South Orangetown Central School District Director of Physical Education. Prior to arriving in the district, Frawley worked with a number of other schools and organizations, Greco said. He also spent eight seasons as an athletic trainer with the New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers, and Montreal Expos.

Those who can't attend the blood drive encouraged to donate blood elsewhere and enter the information on the FrawleyStrong.org website between June 1 and June 7. Donations like this will be recorded in a keepsake book that Frawley and his family will receive after the event.

Greco recently created a GoFundme page to help offset the costs of Frawley's recovery with the aim of raising $200,000. 

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