Islanders Return to In-Person Holiday Hospital Visits

Heads were turning inside of Cohen Children's Medical Center on Monday afternoon as Scott Mayfield and JG Pageau wheeled around a treasure trove of toys.
Obviously, the slime kits, stuffed animals and soccer balls would be a hit with any kid, but who was delivering the toys was what drew the attention around the hospital halls. A father holding his infant daughter's hand couldn't believe his eyes.

"Wait, are you the actual Islanders?" he asked Mayfield and Pageau before they made an unscheduled stop to visit with the family. By the time the visit was through, double-takes had been replaced with smiles for mom, dad and their daughter.
That was just one scene of many across five area hospitals on Monday. After only being able to do virtual hospital visits for the past two years, the Islanders were back delivering presents in person.

"It's definitely a lot better to do it in person," Matt Martin said. "You're able to connect with the kids and the families on a more personal level than over a FaceTime call. To be able to come to the hospital and spread some joy and put a smile on their faces means the world to us."
There was a human element to Monday's visit. After Mayfield and Pageau delivered a cookie making kit to a six-year-old girl, they could hear her loudly proclaim that she was going to become a chef as they were walking away. They talked a little soccer with kids who had World Cup Quarterfinals were on in their rooms. Alex Romanov even wound up visiting with a Russian boy named Luca, getting a chance to speak in his native language.
"It's definitely a different vibe when they come in," said Demi Lonergan, the Donations and Special Events Coordinator at Cohen's. "It's really amazing to see the players in the hallways, I know that the kids really look forward to it. And it's really awesome for the staff who work tirelessly here as well to get autographs and to take pictures and just be able to have a conversation with them really means a lot to us."

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In addition to delivering the toys, which were hand-selected by the Islanders wives and girlfriends a week prior, the Islanders also posed for pictures and recorded videos for well-wishes and birthday messages. Even a self-described Rangers fan thanked Mayfield and Pageau for being "top shelf" after visiting with his family, proving that helping around the holidays supersedes hockey.
As much as Monday was for the kids, nurses and parents, the Islanders felt they got something special in return, perspective.
"These kids are going through a lot and they're incredibly brave," captain Anders Lee said. "They don't know a whole lot other than fighting and kind of going what they're going through. Us guys can get some great inspiration from them, but if we can just show up for a few minutes and be able to say hi, I think it goes a long way on both sides."