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Why Red Sox, Boston Stars Came Together For Pedro Martinez Foundation

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Why Red Sox, Boston Stars Came Together For Pedro Martinez Foundation


The Boston Red Sox watched Pedro Martinez become an icon as one of the best pitchers to ever throw a baseball. His legacy expands past that through his extensive charity work.

Martinez and his wife, Carolina, hosted their eighth annual gala in Boston Friday night to benefit the Pedro Martinez Foundation which reached 75,000 children in 2023 and continues to reach new heights.

“It’s just like always, it’s part of the commitment we have with the community,” Martinez shared with NESN.com. “It’s part of what we do and want to be recognized for. It’s always so special because you’re doing something special. I hope that people can really perceive what we’re really doing.”

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“The fact that we have almost 400 people here says a lot about the Boston community,” Carolina Martinez, the foundation’s president, told NESN.com. “It says a lot about the respect they have, not only for Pedro and what he did for the city, but the institution of the Pedro Martinez Foundation. That means a lot of commitment for us to continue going. We’re very thankful.”

Speaking exclusively with NESN.com, several former Red Sox players and Boston athletes shared why supporting Martinez’s cause remains special for them.

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“It’s always an honor to be here with my compadre and Carolina, supporting them,” David Ortiz said. “They do a wonderful job for these kids. They change a lot of lives, a lot of family directions. It’s amazing, doesn’t get better than that.”

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“It’s great to attend and support Pedro and his foundation,” Orlando Cabrera said. “It’s awesome, the things they do for kids in the Dominican Republic and in the Boston area. Happy to be here.”

“This is my first time coming to this event,” Derek Lowe shared. “My wife and I just moved back to Hingham. This was a no-brainer to come support Pedro. He’s been doing this for a long time to raise money. He’s not just a Hall of Fame pitcher. He’s a Hall of Fame guy. It’s going to be great to support him and have a beautiful night.

“As long as we’ve had the opportunity to come, it’s great to support Pedro, Carolina and the foundation,” Jason Varitek said. “It’s been a lot of years running now. Their ability to give back is phenomenal.”

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Even baseball players who made their ultimate name outside away from Boston found their connections with the Red Sox icon to benefit the cause.

“This is a great cause,” Multiple-time American League Cy Young award-winner Corey Kluber said. “(My wife) and I have been fortunate enough to do this a number of times. To see Pedro and Carolina’s passion for their cause is really inspiring.”

“It’s my pleasure and privilege to be back here tonight,” 2010 MLB home run leader José Bautista offered. “… Any time that I get the call from Pedro, I can’t help but to show up, show the support, spend some time with his patrons, spend some time here, enjoy ourselves and help raise the most amount of funds that we can for all his projects. I’m very close to the project he’s building in the Dominican Republic. Very excited about that, happy to help in many different ways. Really happy to be here and I think it’s going to be a great evening.”

Martinez inspired athletes beyond baseball to show up and support the cause, including three Super Bowl champions from the New England Patriots’ dynasty of the 2000s.

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“It’s always great when you can give back to something that means a lot to you, especially Pedro being the legend that he is,” NFL Hall of Famer Ty Law said. “To be able to support him, be present and really respect what he’s doing with his foundation helping kids. Anytime you can help families and kids, that’s what it’s about.”

“In this community, I think it’s a given that if you’ve been here long enough, you realize the impact of taking time out of your day and what it can do for others,” Super Bowl champion and left tackle Matt Light offered. “There are so many icons who have been a part of the Boston sports scene. Pedro’s obviously one of them for what he did on the field. These are the things that I think solidify you in the history of this area. So many people really care. To be here tonight to support him, his efforts and the work that they do, it means a lot.”

“It’s always a blessing,” Super Bowl XXXVI champion Jermaine Wiggins said. “I’m a huge Red Sox die-hard Pedro fan. Anything to help and support the cause for what he’s doing is obviously tremendous.”

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The Pedro Martinez Foundation continues its 17th year of service to improve the lives of children throughout the Boston area and the Dominican Republic.

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Boston, MA

City officials suspend license of Boston nightclub where woman suffered fatal medical episode – The Boston Globe

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City officials suspend license of Boston nightclub where woman suffered fatal medical episode – The Boston Globe


City officials said Wednesday they had suspended the entertainment license for Icon, a Boston nightclub, after a woman suffered a medical emergency there over the weekend and later died.

The city’s licensing board is expected to hold a hearing on the future of Icon’s liquor license “in the coming weeks,” according to a statement from the mayor’s office.

Police arrived at the Warrenton Street venue, in the Theater District, just before 12:30 a.m. on Sunday and found a person lying on the dance floor, unresponsive and without a pulse, according to an incident report. Family members on social media identified the woman as Anastaiya Colon and said she had been celebrating her sister’s birthday when she collapsed.

Emergency medical personnel performed chest compressions and took Colon to Tufts Medical Center, according to the report. Family members said Tuesday that she had died.

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“Any loss of life in our community is a horrible tragedy and our condolences go out to the family and loved ones,” Mayor Michelle Wu said in a statement Wednesday.

Family members have accused the nightclub of negligence, alleging that, once alerted to the medical emergency, Icon staff failed immediately to call 911, only stopped the dance music for a few minutes, and did not clear the way for emergency personnel once they arrived.

“Their negligence and incompetence to control and clear a crowd for professionals ensured it was too late to save her,” Bonnell Stackhouse, Colon’s former partner, alleged in a social media post.

Boston police detectives are investigating the incident, according to Officer Mark Marron, a department spokesperson. A spokesperson for the Suffolk district attorney’s office said Wednesday morning that there are “no indications of criminality.”

In a statement to the Globe on Wednesday, the club said its staff had acted appropriately.

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Club management said it conducted interviews with employees and reviewed security footage that showed CPR was administered “within a minute” of staff being notified of the medical emergency.

EMS was contacted within two minutes, and Boston police arrived within six minutes, the club said.

“We hope the family finds some comfort knowing that Boston Police, Boston EMS, and the Club Staff worked diligently and efficiently in responding to this unfortunate situation,” club management said.

According to the police report, however, the first officers to arrive on the scene were on a routine patrol outside the nightclub when they were flagged down by one of Colon’s friends.

Police also said in the report that the large crowd inside the club did not comply with orders to give space to emergency medical personnel, forcing them to shut down the club and order the patrons to leave.

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Icon had planned to hold a New Year’s Eve event, headlined by DJs JayRoc and Roniflee, according to its social media accounts. It was unclear Wednesday whether that event would take place.

Colon, known as “Nena,” leaves behind two children, one aged 9 and the other 6 months old, according to a fund-raiser in her name.

Anastaiya Colon collapsed Sunday at Icon, a nightclub in Boston’s Theater District, and later died.GoFundMe

Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. Follow him on X @fonseca_esq and on Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports.





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Boston, MA

Bruins Close Homestand with 6-2 Loss to Canadiens | Boston Bruins

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Bruins Close Homestand with 6-2 Loss to Canadiens | Boston Bruins


BOSTON –– Despite a fiery start, the Boston Bruins lost their footing in the third period and ultimately fell 6-2 to the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday at TD Garden.

“Even after the first period, guys came ready to play today. They were very excited, so it was good,” head coach Marco Sturm said. “But the goals we gave up – for me, it’s a lot of individual mistakes, fatigue. Guys were just mentally not sharp.”

​Sammy Blais put the Canadiens ahead 1-0 at 11:08 of the first period, but the Bruins soon earned the lead.

Mason Lohrei kept the puck in the zone and carried it down the left side before hitting Marat Khusnutdinov with a cross-crease pass, which he one-timed past Montreal netminder Jacob Fowler at 12:25. Khusnutdinov’s fifth goal of the year made it 1-1 and extended his point streak to three games.

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Alex Steeves potted a last-minute tally for the 2-1 lift while on the power play. David Pastrnak dished the puck over to Steeves in the right circle, where he sniped it home at 19:42. It was Steeves’ eighth goal of the season, and first PPG of his NHL career. The loss overshadowed that for the forward, though.

“It’s terrible, it stinks. Really, this whole homestand, going into break, it’s unfortunate,” Steeves said. “But I think it’s moments like these where you find out how tight the group is. I know we have a tight group, and I know we’ll bounce back from this and we’ll be stronger because of it. Stings for now.”

Viktor Arvidsson – who played in his first game since Dec. 11 after working through a lower-body injury – picked up the secondary assist on the scoring play. The forward was back on the second line with Casey Mittelstadt and Pavel Zacha.

“It was nice to be back and skating again and battling and stuff and be on the bench,” Arvidsson said. “Be with the guys. It felt good.”

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Boston, MA

Woman dies after medical episode at Boston nightclub, family says – The Boston Globe

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Woman dies after medical episode at Boston nightclub, family says – The Boston Globe


The club, in a statement posted on Instagram on Tuesday, said it was “deeply saddened” by Colon’s death and that employees at the nightclub rushed to her aid.

“Our staff responded immediately and called emergency services while an off-duty EMT rendered first aid,” it said. “We are cooperating fully with all inquiries from law enforcement and city officials who are reviewing this medical episode.”

When police arrived at the Warrenton Street venue, they found a person lying on the dance floor, unresponsive and without a pulse, according to an incident report. They began performing chest compressions with the help of a cashier at the club who said she worked as an EMT.

Police said in the report that the large crowd inside the club did not comply with orders to give space to emergency medical personnel. Eventually, officers ordered the club to shut down and told patrons to leave immediately.

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The woman, whose age was not disclosed, was then taken to Tufts Medical Center, police said.

Colon’s sister, Angelica Colon, wrote on social media Sunday that the club failed to immediately call 911 after being told about the medical emergency. She said only a few people at the club showed any “real concern,” while other patrons and staff “acted like nothing was happening.”

“My sister collapsed in the middle of the club,“ she wrote. ”I tried to lift her myself and couldn’t. I was screaming at the top of my lungs and was ignored. The music was only stopped for two minutes, then turned right back on — as if her life didn’t matter.”

Angelica Colon also couldn’t be reached for comment on Tuesday.

Anastaiya Colon, who was at the club to celebrate her sister Angelica’s birthday, had smoked before arriving and had “a few drinks” at the bar, according to the police report. Drug use was not suspected as a factor in the medical episode, according to the report.

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Angelica Colon said that, while her sister had a medical condition, “that does not excuse what happened.” She said in the post that she was considering legal action against the club’s owners.

“A business that refuses to act during a medical emergency does not deserve to operate,” she wrote. “If this could happen to my sister, it could happen to anyone.”

“She was the greatest mother to our son and her daughter,” Stackhouse wrote. “Wherever I fell, she compensated and gave me so much more grace than I deserve.”

Icon is operated by Pasha Entertainment, which also runs the nightclubs Venu and Hava, as well as prominent restaurants such as Ghost Light Tavern and Kava Neo-Taverna, according to the company’s website.

“Our thoughts and condolences are with the individual’s family and loved ones,” the club wrote.

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Last year, the city’ licensing board reviewed a 2023 incident at the club in which a woman was punched and thrown to the ground by another patron. Icon staff did not call police during the altercation, which the club’s director of security admitted was a “lapse in judgment.”

The woman who was punched later sued the club for overserving her attacker; Icon was ordered to pay $30,000 in damages, according to court records.


Camilo Fonseca can be reached at camilo.fonseca@globe.com. Follow him on X @fonseca_esq and on Instagram @camilo_fonseca.reports.





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