The Drew Hassenbein Foundation – a charitable organization started by the Hassenbein family after a drunk driver claimed the life of their beloved Drew – has introduced the latest initiative towards that heartfelt goal: “Drew’s Court,” wherein tennis courts all over the nation will begin to be named in his honor.
Drew Hassenbein and Ethan Falkowitz, both 14, were traveling on North Broadway in Jericho on the evening of May 3, 2023, when the car they were in was struck by wrong-way drunk driver; both boys tragically lost their lives in the crash, and the driver of the other vehicle has been charged with multiple serious crimes in connection with their deaths.
Drew, an eighth grader at Roslyn High School, was widely considered a tennis prodigy and had played the sport since he was 5 years old after he was introduced to it by his father, Mitch; he had been ranked as high as number one in the National Boys 12 and Under Division, and one of his most noteworthy accomplishments was being selected by the United States Tennis Association to conduct the coin toss at the 2021 Men’s U.S. Open Final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens.
“I really want to play tennis in college and go on tour and win a couple of matches there,” he said at the age of 12 in a 2021 LongIsland.com interview.
In response to the senseless accident that wrenched their loved one from them, the Hassenbein family established the Drew Hassenbein Foundation as a 5013c not-for-profit, with the goal of keeping Drew’s legacy alive by helping expose underprivileged youth to tennis – which can be a pricey sport to get into – by offering financial assistance in the form of scholarships and paying for lessons, in addition to sponsorships for elite juniors as they pursue their dream of playing tennis professionally.
This week, on the organization’s Facebook page, the Drew Hassenbein Foundation announced the launch of yet another means of helping the memory of the late young man alive: the introduction of “Drew’s Court,” an initiative that aims to name multiple tennis courts across the country in his honor, with two in New York State – including one here on Long Island – already bearing signs denoting them as such.
“As yet another way we at the Drew Hassenbein Foundation are keeping Drew's legacy alive, tennis courts all over the nation will begin to be named in Drew's honor,” the post read. “While on ‘Drew’s Court,’ we hope everyone will always remember Drew, learn about him, and feel inspired to try their hardest and dream big like Drew did. Drew had such a passion for sports, especially the love of tennis. He was dedicated and committed to put in all the work every day to become a champion, and that he was. Forever a champion, on and off the courts and always in our hearts.”
“The Drew Hassenbein Foundation is hoping to name courts after Drew across the nation as he traveled to many national tournaments and left a lasting impact wherever he went. If you’re interested to have a court named after Drew, please reach out to jaime@drewhassenbein.org,” the post continued. “To kick off "Drew’s Court" this summer we are proud to have courts in Drew's honor at Timber Lake Camp & North Shore Day Camp. We would like to thank Mindy & Jay Jacobs for this very special dedication. We are so grateful for you both and thanks for helping us keep Drew’s legacy alive at his summer home for many years.”
To find out more, please visit the Drew Hassenbein Foundation by clicking here.