Teen to ride in Bike to the Beach autism fundraiser

Luca Iallonardi, a 16-year-old senior at Hauppauge High School, will be making a 100-mile bicycle journey this weekend, joining the annual Bike to the Beach fundraiser to benefit those with autism.

With his effort, Iallonardi hopes to honor his brother Jackson who has autism and local Long Island families with children and adult family members on the spectrum.

Iallonardi will be riding with the Nassau-Suffolk Autism Society of America’s Team, which has already raised more than $74,500 for their participation in the event, according to a NSASA statement. 

“I am so glad I get to raise money and awareness for such an important charity,” Iallonardi said in the statement. “My brother and other individuals with autism are in need of social opportunities, and I would do anything to help those individuals and their needs. Biking 100 miles couldn’t compare to the hardships Jackson goes through.”

Another rider on the NSASA team is Augie Carbone, the father of three boys with autism and a principal of Carbone & Molloy insurance agency in Westbury. This will be Carbone’s second 100-mile ride for the nonprofit.

“This organization directly impacts the lives of the autistic population and their families by providing socialization and recreational opportunities that our families would otherwise avoid,” Carbone said in the statement. 

Carbone, Iallonardi and the rest of the NSASA team of riders will cross the finish line at Tiki Joe’s Beach Club at Smith Point Beach in Shirley on Saturday, Sept. 26.

NSASA is a parent-run organization serving over 3,000 families on Long Island. Their mission is to support individuals with autism in the local community.

For more information or to donate visit: www.nsasa.org and biketothebeach.org