The Islanders on Monday announced D MATTHEW SCHAEFER and Northwell Health have partnered, through a $150,000 gift from the Islanders Children’s Foundation, to “open the Jennifer Schaefer Child Support Center in October.” Northwell Health reached out to “discuss a partnership almost as soon as Schaefer started making hospital visits shortly into his rookie season.” The child life room, located at the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center in New Hyde Park, will “provide a dedicated space for children” while their parent undergoes cancer treatment. The room will “feature hockey-themed elements, including Islanders memorabilia and entertainment along with inspiring messages from Schaefer to the families using the room” (NEWSDAY, 5/11).
THE KING’S LAST DANCE? Several stars and celebrities sat courtside at Crypto.com Arena on Monday night for Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals between the Thunder and Lakers, possibly the last game of Lakers F LEBRON JAMES’ career. Sitting courtside were actors LEONARDO DICAPRIO, SEAN PENN and KEVIN CONNOLLY. Also at courtside was comedian and actor EDDIE MURPHY, Pro Football HOFer SHANNON SHARPE, actor MILES TELLER, actress JESSICA ALBA, Gold medal-winning skier LINDSEY VONN, artist TINASHE, actor ANDY GARCIA, artist USHER and rapper MONEYBAGG YO. The sons of famous actors JACK NICHOLSON and DENZEL WASHINGTON were also at the game, with RAY NICHOLSON and JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON. Notable sports stars were courtside as well, including Basketball HOFer DWYANE WADE, former NBAer ROBERT HORRY and Suns G DILLON BROOKS. Other celebrities at the game included JEFFREY KATZENBERG, ADAM COROLLA, JAY MOHR, DYAN CANNON, LUKAS HAAS, JAMES GOLDSTEIN, LOU ADLER and COREY GAMBLE (CALIFORNIA POST, 5/12).
AT THE FAIRWAY: The Chris Long Foundation’s Waterboys Charity Challenge returned to Charlottesville, VA. on April 30 and May 1, bringing together athletes, advocates, musicians, donors, volunteers, and supporters for two days of celebration, competition, and impact at Boar’s Head Resort and Birdwood Golf Course. Former NFLer CHRIS LONG and Pro Football HOFer RONDE BARBER co-hosted the festivities, with an guest list of celebrity golfers who gave their time to help tackle the global clean water crisis: RYAN CLARK, FRED TAYLOR, DEBBE DUNNING, SEAN GLENNON, NICOLE AUERBACH, DUDLEY BRADLEY, JORDAN CORNETTE, NATE BOYER, KEN HARVEY, HERMAN MOORE, ISAIAH STANBACK, TERRY KIRBY, ERIC MACLAIN, HOWIE LONG, TOM SANTI, and many more. The event surpassed its fundraising goal (Chris Long Foundation).
NAMES: The Bitcoin Society, a start-up backed by Basketball HOFer TONY PARKER and French entrepreneur ÉRIC LARCHEVÊQUE, has “ditched plans to build a crypto treasury,” months after announcing the strategy. Larchevêque is a co-founder of Ledger SAS, which announced a jersey sponsorship with the Spurs in June 2025 (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 5/12)....Former soccer player GERARD PIQUÉ has been fined about $235,000 for insider trading after “buying shares in a health and safety company two days before it was revealed to be a takeover target.” The penalty was announced on Monday by Spain’s market regulator National Securities Market Commission (FINANCIAL TIMES, 5/11)....The Vikings unveiled Monday morning that they plan to induct former NFLer ADRIAN PETERSON into the team’s Ring of Honor (St. Paul PIONEER PRESS, 5/11)....“THE ROAST OF KEVIN HART” aired Sunday night, with Warriors F DRAYMOND GREEN on hand to help roast comedian KEVIN HART. Former NFLer TOM BRADY also returned to take part in the roasting (YAHOO SPORTS, 5/11)....Former soccer player ALEX MORGAN announced on Mother’s Day that she and her partner, SERVANDO CARRASCO, are expecting their third child together (ESPN.com, 5/11)....Bills RB and kick returner RAY DAVIS' journey in the foster care system is “barreling forward as a feature film.” Crossroad Productions is in development on the drama, “BREAKAWAY RAY,” which has GARY FLEDER set to direct (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 5/11)....Patriots owner ROBERT KRAFT and NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL were among the celebrities spotted at BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN‘s Madison Square Garden concert on Monday. Goodell is expected to appear Tuesday at Disney’s upfront (CNN.com, 5/12).
IN MEMORY: RENÉ CÁRDENAS, the first Spanish-language broadcaster for the Dodgers, Astros and Rangers during a 60-year career, has died at 96. The Astros on Monday said that Cárdenas “died Sunday at his home in Houston.” Cárdenas joined the Dodgers when they moved to L.A. in 1958. He was part of the first Spanish broadcast of the World Series in 1959 and the MLB All-Star Game two years later. The Astros, then known as the Colt .45s, hired Cárdenas in 1961 for their inaugural season of 1962, and he spent 14 seasons with the club. In 1981, Cárdenas became the first Spanish broadcaster for the Rangers. A second Dodgers stint lasted nearly two decades starting in 1982 before a return to the Astros, where he became the first to call games in Spanish on TV in 2008. Cárdenas called other high-profile events, including the MUHAMMAD ALI-JIMMY ELLIS boxing match at the Astrodome in 1971 (AP, 5/11).
