Staten Island Advance: “A 68-year-old ice hockey goalie? This S.I. ‘super senior’ and cancer survivor was named an AARP sponsored athlete”

2022 Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete Paul “PJ” Gammarano, Sr. was recently interviewed for an in-depth profile by the Staten Island Advance.

“Gammarano, a prostate cancer survivor, suits up in goal three days a week — donning 50+ pounds of gear and a goalie mask. He sets up between the pipes at the Staten Island Skating Pavilion, or at Brooklyn’s Aviator Sports Center, where players one-third of his age rifle shots at the 6-by-4 net behind him.”

‘There’s hope. It’s not a death sentence. It’s not an excuse to stop,’ said Gammarano, who cited fellow cancer survivor and NHL Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux.

‘Take a note from Mario Lemieux…if he can fight cancer and set all sorts of records, I can at least play,’ he said. ‘If you do get some sort of diagnosis like that, don’t give up.’ ”

Read the full article here.

Read PJ’s introductory blog for Senior Planet here.

Photo by Jason Paderon for the Staten Island Advance