{"id":128628,"date":"2026-02-10T11:01:15","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T11:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/128628\/"},"modified":"2026-02-10T11:01:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T11:01:15","slug":"memorial-scholarship-keeps-staten-island-teen-athletes-legacy-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/128628\/","title":{"rendered":"Memorial scholarship keeps Staten Island teen athlete\u2019s legacy alive"},"content":{"rendered":"

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 It has been 12 years since James Michael Creamer Jr. died<\/a> when he was just a sophomore in high school. But his legacy is living on through a new scholarship created by two of his best friends.<\/p>\n

Anthony Gallo and Noah Seni Villeroel became close friends with James when they were in middle school. While Creamer continued his education at St. Peter\u2019s Boys High School in New Brighton, the trio stayed friends until James\u2019 unexpected death on April 27, 2014. The popular athlete, who played both varsity football and baseball for the St. Peter\u2019s Eagles, was just 15 years old.<\/p>\n

\u2018Taught me so much\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cJames was very close to me, and I just felt that his death had impacted my life in such a meaningful way. It was such a bad thing to happen at the time, but it taught me so much about life and showed me how blessed I am to be able to be where I am at in life and to be able to wake up every day,\u201d said Gallo.<\/p>\n

Gallo and Villeroel, who still live on Staten Island, decided they wanted to create a new scholarship for one freshman at St. Peter\u2019s High School in honor of their friend, called the James Creamer Memorial Scholarship. <\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2024, we came together collectively as friends and we wanted to do something meaningful to keep his name alive and to share positivity and the warmth that he gave everybody when they were in his presence,\u201d said Villeroel.<\/p>\n

\"JamesIn this Oct. 17, 2015, photo, St. Peter’s head coach Mark DeCristofolo with his captains at the grotto as they hold the #77 jersey of James Creamer Jr., who died unexpectedly at the age of 15.(Advance\/SILive.com | Hilton Flores)<\/p>\n

With the help of the high school, and friends and family of James, as well as St. Peter\u2019s High School Principal Michael Cosentino, students applying for the scholarship were asked to write an essay on dealing with a hardship in life and how they overcame it \u2014 embodying the spirit of James, who lost his mother just two years before he died.<\/p>\n

A $2,000 annual award<\/p>\n

One freshman, Vincent Raccuglia, was given the first-ever James Creamer Memorial Scholarship award of $2,000 in December. <\/p>\n

Gallo and Villeroel have pledged $1,000 each in funding for the scholarship award for Raccuglia for his next three years of high school at St. Peter\u2019s. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s beautiful that we could let our friend\u2019s legacy carry on and give back now to the point where it\u2019s impacting someone else\u2019s life,\u201d said Gallo. \u201cThe fact that we could continue James\u2019 legacy and put someone else through school \u2026 it just means the absolute world to us.\u201d<\/p>\n

They said they hope to continue to raise funds for the scholarship award, such as holding raffles at local events or creating T-shirts in James\u2019 honor. <\/p>\n

Gallo and Villeroel also created an Instagram page, @jamescreamermemorial<\/a>, to help raise awareness and funding.<\/p>\n

Those who wish to donate or support in raising funding, including local organizations and businesses, can reach out at jamescreamermemorial@gmail.com, or Gallo\u2019s email at Gallo61898@gmail.com, or Villeroel\u2019s email at nvilleroel@gmail.com.<\/p>\n