AFTER EXPERIENCING FIRSTHAND THE POWER OF COMMUNITY SUPPORT AS A BOY, THIS LIFELONG ISLANDER AND PROUD FATHER FOUND HIS CALLING IN SERVICE, LAUNCHING THE MCKENNA FOUNDATION TO UPLIFT THE NEXT GENERATION OF STATEN ISLAND FAMILIES
By Amanda McCoy | Industry Magazine | Photos by Amesse Photography
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Brian Terzian was 11 years old when he experienced the unthinkable. Before the sun set over his native borough of Staten Island on September 11, 2001, thousands of New Yorkers had tragically lost their lives in the unprecedented terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. His mother, Stephanie McKenna, was among them. As a young boy in grief, Terzian noted he was cradled by his Staten Island neighbors and his extended family, unaware at the time that their support was planting the seed for his future calling. “It was such a dark time, but I received an outpouring of support from the Staten Island community,” recalled Terzian, who’s called the borough home his entire life. “That never left me.”
Decades later, as Terzian and his wife, Jennifer Terzian (the duo wed in 2018), were eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first child, Terzian felt a bit unsettled in his career. A liberal arts major, he had tried on a few different vocations, working first as a real estate salesman before taking a job with a large media company in finance and payroll, but the soon-to-be father couldn’t shake the feeling he was meant to do more for his community. Only a few months later, his direction became clear.
“Becoming a father really grounded me,” said Terzian, noting his son spent the first six days of his life in the NICU, a precautionary but nonetheless frightening experience for the new parents. “Soon after, my grandfather, who was a fixture in my life, passed away at 91. Both experiences provided the push I needed to want to do something for my community. Taking on the responsibility to continue my family’s legacy really meant something to me now.”
After extensive research, the Terzians learned of Staten Island University Hospital’s plans to build an updated, state-of-the-art NICU facility within the new Gruppuso Family Women and Newborn Center. Inspired by their personal experience in the NICU, where the couple said they received remarkable care and support from the medical staff of SIUH, the Terzians felt galvanized to help bring the facility to fruition. They joined forces with Linda and Keith Manfredi of the Joseph Maffeo Foundation to put their plan into action, officially forming the McKenna Foundation, named after Terzian’s mother. “We learned that the Joseph Maffeo Foundation also had roots in 9/11,” said Terzian. “Joseph was a firefighter who lost his life during the attack, and his sister and her husband formed the foundation in his honor. They were already actively raising funds to support the new center, and we reached out because we wanted to get involved, too.”
In September of 2022, the McKenna Foundation hosted its inaugural fundraiser, a three-on-three basketball tournament titled Buckets for Babies. It was a grassroots effort; for months, the Terzians worked tirelessly to recruit sponsors and raise awareness for the tournament (September is, fittingly, NICU Awareness Month). Eight teams showed up at St. Peter’s High School to compete, and the event raised a staggering $38,000.
“We were blown away,” added Terzian. “When we handed the check to the Joseph Maffeo Foundation, they were blown away, too.”
Invigorated by the success of Buckets for Babies and now armed with on-the-ground experience, the Terzians immediately got to work planning their second fundraiser, Bowling for Babies. “I realized one of the pitfalls of basketball is that it was tougher than I expected to find people willing to play,” added Terzian with a laugh, an avid basketball devotee since grade school. “I knew bowling would have more widespread appeal.”
Terzian’s intuition was accurate. Last April, Rab’s Country Lanes in Dongan Hills hosted a packed house for the McKenna Foundation’s first Bowling for Babies extravaganza, garnering another $12,000 for the newborn center. The funds helped SIUH reach its goal, and the new NICU center is scheduled to open its doors in 2025.
“Rab’s Country Lanes is a Staten Island staple, and they are also heavily involved in the local community,” noted Terzian. “They were incredible partners. When I showed up on the morning of the event, all the tables were set, balloons were inflated, and decorations hung. Everything was in place.”
This April, a sea of green balloons filled Rab’s Country Lanes once again as a sold-out crowd gathered for the second annual Bowling for Babies. The Terzians raffled off prizes like show tickets to the historic St. George Theatre, restaurant gift cards, and even an autographed poster of New York Knicks legend Donte DiVincenzo. Last year, the Terzians were thrilled with their $12,000 achievement. This year, however, they raised a grand total of $53,000.
Today, now in its third year, the McKenna Foundation is a young but flourishing operation, and its founders are actively working to expand their reach and provide ongoing assistance for Staten Island families. The Terzians are in the process of building an outreach program through SIUH, named Evan’s Gift (for their son), to offer continuing support for families after they leave the NICU. “Our goal is to first offer each family a $100 gift card to Target or Amazon in the hopes it can help alleviate even a small amount of stress on their first shopping trip to pick up diapers and other supplies,” said Terzian. “From there, we will continue to check in and be a resource for them, providing personalized help and support on a case-by-case basis for anything they might need.”
“When my son was born, I realized how important it was to teach him his family’s story,” Terzian continued. “After the support I received from the community when my mother passed, and by all the wonderful doctors, nurses, and staff at SIUH when my son was in the NICU, I found my purpose in giving back to this community. My wife, Jennifer, has been such a monumental part of this journey, and Linda and Keith of the Joseph Maffeo Foundation, our mentors and now friends, have been with us every step of the way. We aspire to do so much more for families on the Island. We will only grow from here.”
The McKenna Foundation
themckennafoundation.org