DELIVERING A DREAM

By Michael Rossello

When faced with the loss of a family member, parent, friend, or boss, people often do similar things to cope and remember that person. Yet once the smoke settles, life goes back to a new normal. For many people, it’s hard to find peace, so they look for ways to honor that individual and keep their legacy alive. For a FedEx Express station out on eastern Long Island, this was the case.

Located in Calverton, New York, the smallest FedEx station on Long Island based upon personnel can be found. Due to its size, this location treats everyone who works there like family. It doesn’t matter if it’s the courier working next to you or the co-worker across the loading belt. You know each other’s stories, and when tragedy strikes, everyone feels it.

In most work families, there is a strong figure who not only sets the expectations but also does whatever it takes to treat the employees well. For this FedEx station, their Senior Manager was Mike Rossello. He treated them as if they were his family back home. Whether hosting summer BBQs, cooking breakfast, or having holiday parties, Rossello made sure his employees felt welcomed. They respected him and many would say he was the best boss they ever had. One important detail of this story is that their boss, Mike Rossello, was also my father.

On February 3, 2019, their work-life changed when Mike Rossello passed away from medical complications. The employees decided that they needed to do something in the spirit of him to represent his legacy. So, they created a community garden.