As difficult as it was to watch television coverage of the horrific scene in Santa Monica, CA, in which a car crashed through a farmers' market, killing nine shoppers and injuring many more, it became acutely more poignant as it unfolded that the fatalities included Kevin McCarthy, 50, a native of Glen Cove and member of a longtime local family and his wife, Diana Gong McCarthy. Family members include Glen Cove Police Chief Timothy Edwards, a cousin of Kevin, who remarked that another cousin, Irene Leahy and family, still reside in the "McCarthy Homestead" on Fairmont. Chief Edward's voice was tinged with sorrow as he pronounced the death "a great loss of a great guy."

Kevin was a member of the Glen Cove High School Class of 1971 and a member of the track team, a sport he continued at Binghamton University. He went on to North Carolina State for graduate studies, and when he died, was actively pursuing a career in writing and filmmaking with strong support from members of his family, all of whom had a marked talent in and propensity for the arts.

Kevin's father, Frank, met his future wife, Maria, when she worked for the United Nations, which was at that time located in Lake Success and the Peruvian delegates were living in a local estate. Mrs. McCarthy went on to work for the City of Glen Cove for many years as a court interpreter. Kevin and his siblings were all raised to be bilingual, and Peru was a second home to them. Kevin's sister Annamaria lives there presently, while brother Frank lives in Astoria, NY. When the McCarthys were starting a family, Maria's friend Clothilde came to live with them as nanny to the children. As the children grew and Clothilde went on to marry and raise her own family, the family ties never loosened. When the elder Mr. McCarthy was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, Ms. (Clothilde) Sampaio-Lopes was by her friend's side to help care for the ailing man. When Mrs. McCarthy predeceased her husband in 1993, Ms. Sampaio-Lopes continued the care, and "Kevin-sito," as he was affectionately called by his former nanny, moved into the family home and could often be seen taking his father to the beach and then to Ms. Sampaio-Lopes' home for ice cream. The two were at Mr. McCarthy's side when he died.

Ms. Sampaio-Lopes continued to be much like a parent to the McCarthy children, and in fact, had been on the telephone with Kevin just before he left to shop at the market, telling her he would be sending a film starring her son Raimundo to the house. He said to look for a package addressed "To the Mother of the Movie Star."

Kevin and Diana McCarthy were accompanied by Benny Gong, Diana's father, on the day of the accident. Mr. Gong was injured, but will recover. Mr. Gong is a well-known chef in New York's Chinatown, and at a Mets game over the weekend, the announcer offered condolences to the family on the loss of their daughter and son-in-law.

Many family members and friends flew to California for the funeral, and a memorial service is being planned for September for the many, many New Yorkers, and most especially, Glen Covers, who have been devastated by the link a West Coast tragedy has to home.