Gone, but Never Forgotten
On October 27th, 2008, four young men went out fishing. When the unexpected happened, they did not expect for only one to return. Domenico Coluccio, Anthony Dupont and Carlo Milito passed away when their boat capsized and could not escape the rough waters.
A memorial of the three young men was placed at the intersection of Bay Ridge Avenue and 13th Avenue in Dyker Heights. This painting has been up since late 2008, but was never completed. (The obvious detail that has not been completed is the placement of the appropriate names of the boys) This art has been a constant reminder to our community of the three lives that were taken too soon.
The wall that it is painted on is the side of a deli, but I don’t believe the piece was commissioned by the deli or by the families of the boys. In addition, no artist has signed the piece; it remains anonymous to this day. The painting is quite large, taking up a majority of the wall. Candles and flowers are sometimes at the foot of the painting, and the wall is frequently ornamented with wreaths. The future of the memorial is not certain, but I don’t believe that anyone would attempt to paint over it. It has been up for five years now, and has remained untouched and unfinished, just as the artist left it.
The memorial is sincere, direct and relatable- once you know the background to the story. The families of the boys are well known, one is a cousin of the infamous D. Coluccio and Sons store, and another was a member of the family that owned the Royal Crown Bakery chain. The three boys all went to local schools, and were huge members of the community. I remember going to the funeral home, and there was a line out the door and up the block. To this day, the boys are remembered at events throughout the neighborhood.
I consider Dyker Heights and even Bensonhurst to be more “city” life than rural, therefore I find it admirable to see that we are a community. Neighborhoods change, people come and go, but we all support one another as a member of the community’s family. These boys and their families are a huge part of the community and neighborhood, and this memorial is a constant reminder of this.
