Benjamin Ziegelbaum, 17, a senior at Great Neck North High School, died tragically and unexpectedly of sudden cardiac death on April 23, 2006, while traveling to Vassar College for "Open House Day for Admitted Students" with his father, Great Neck urologist Dr. Michael Ziegelbaum. In addition to his father, Ben is survived by his mother, Amy Ziegelbaum, a well-known professional flutist and Great Neck flute teacher; his two brothers, Matthew, 19, a freshman at Johns Hopkins University, and Jonathan, 12, a 7th-Grader at The Orchard School; and by his grandmother Harriet Newman Cohen Feinberg; grandparents Philip and Lilliana Cohen of Pittsfield, MA; aunts and uncles Martha and Carl Stine of Great Neck (Ezra and Gabriel); Dr. Susan and Bruce Hirsch of Pt. Washington (Eric, Zachary, and Jacob); Steven and Patricia Cohen Epstein of Madison, WI (Sarah, Oliver and Natalie); Fred and Patty Ziegelbaum of Upper Darby, PA; Nancy and Jim Rheingrover of Brooklyn (Jenny and Andrew); David and Madelyn Gill Feinberg of Manhattan (Jillian Gill). Ben was an extraordinary young man without equal in any century. Over 1,000 people attended the funeral service on April 25 at Temple Israel of Great Neck.

Ben had recently received a prestigious award in film-making from the National Foundation of the Arts for his documentary film, "Life With Tourette Syndrome," a touching vignette inspired by his younger brother's struggles with this complicated and much-misunderstood disorder. Ben was the recipient of numerous academic awards, including a National Merit Scholarship Program Commendation; the Dartmouth Book Award for Excellence in English; AP Scholar with Honor Award; First-Place Award in the South Film Festival; and Certificates of Merit for his participation in two additional NFAA categories, Short Story and Poetry. Ben was President of the North High School Debate Team, Editor-In-Chief of NHS's Literary Magazine Epiphany, copy editor and contributing writer for the School Newspaper The Guidepost, Editor, co-founding member and staff writer for The Underground Newspaper, co-founding member of Improv Theatrical Group and Advocates for Peace, and an active member of the Television Production Club.

Passionate about public service and helping those in need, Ben's most meaningful involvement was as a Midnight Run Volunteer (a not-for-profit organization that collects and distributes clothing and food directly to the homeless living on the streets of Manhattan); Ben delighted in going into Manhattan regularly on these "Runs" and talking with the homeless people he met. His depth of compassion and humanity was profound. Ben possessed a quick wit and great sense of timing and said that "one of my most satisfying experiences was performing stand-up comedy for developmentally challenged adults." Ben spent the past three summers abroad in Ireland, where he studied Irish culture, history, language, and mythology, and worked as a counselor-in-training last year.

Ben's mother, Amy, quoted from the beautiful words Ben spoke at his grandfather's recent funeral, adding, "These words are as much about Ben as they were about his grandfather/role model: '...What I am saying now is by far the hardest thing I have ever had to write or say--to put into words how thankful I am to this (young) man...I can't--just as I am sure no one else can--believe that he is gone, because we know that he will never really be gone. He has touched each and every one of our lives, and though he will always be remembered in our hearts and in our minds, he will also be remembered by us each time we think about him and realize how different, how much less satisfying, our own lives would be if he had never been a part of them. I am thankful to have had the privilege of knowing such a person...We should have known that a heart so big could only be held in a human body for so long.' I speak for every person who has ever met my precious son, Benjamin, when I say that Ben shines on, Ben lives in all of us, and his memory is a blessing. We will miss and love him forever."

A charitable fund has been established in Ben's memory. Tax deductible contributions can be sent to: The Benjamin D. Ziegelbaum Memorial Fund, c/o Kestenbaum and Mark, 40 Cuttermill Rd., Great Neck, NY 11021.

Ben's poetry was published regularly in the Great Neck Record. The following poem was written in memory of his beloved grandfather, Dr. Arthur Feinberg:

I once knew a man with the gift of the Sun
Who brought light into every room
Warmth into every heart
And burned selflessly
Making sure I was never in the dark

But with the gift of the Sun
Comes the curse of setting
And even though it never seems late enough

Night comes without fail

But the gift of the Sun
Also makes the man wise
And before he passes the hills in the distance
He gathers up all the light he can
And sends it to the moon
And he can set knowing
That even when he is long gone
It is his light that keeps me from darkness

I once knew a man with the gift of the Sun
And I am lucky to have known him.