'She's everybody's best friend in Hornell': City rallies around Regi Gambino after surgery

Chris Potter, Hornell Evening Tribune
·2 min read

For years, Regi Gambino has helped people in the Hornell area discover their dream home.

Now, Gambino is in need of a little help, and the Hornell community is responding in a big way.

Gambino is currently recovering at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester after undergoing emergency neurosurgery. Gambino’s niece, Lisa Marino, set up a GoFundMe to support the family Thursday. By noon Friday, it had already raised more than $35,000 from over 320 donors.

Regi Gambino
Regi Gambino

The outpouring of support was no surprise to Marino. Her aunt is a well-known Realtor at Howard Hanna Real Estate who coached the Hornell cheerleading program for many years. Gambino is a former Section V Coach of the Year who led the Red Raiders to sectional titles and many other accolades.

“She’s everybody’s best friend in Hornell,” said Marino. “She is super well known from the things she’s done with coaching cheerleading, bartending, and being involved with real estate, which has been the biggest thing in recent years. She’s well known and loved throughout Hornell.”

Marino said doctors discovered a mass and bleeding on the brain, and Gambino was quickly sent to Strong for emergency surgery. She is now in the first phase of recovery but faces an uncertain timeline of observation and additional testing.

The GoFundMe aims to offset medical expenses and help Gambino’s daughters, who arrived in Rochester from both coasts to help oversee the recovery process.

Regi Gambino sits with the Section V title after Hornell cheerleading was crowned with the championship during Gambino's coaching tenure. Gambino was also named Coach of the Year.
Regi Gambino sits with the Section V title after Hornell cheerleading was crowned with the championship during Gambino's coaching tenure. Gambino was also named Coach of the Year.

“One daughter is here from LA and one lives in New York City, so they’re in hotels, they have to eat and all of that stuff. We’re just trying to help them and also help with whatever is to come with medical expenses,” said Marino. “We really don’t know what’s to come. We know this is Step 1 of what hopefully is going to be a short thing, but we don’t really know.”

More: Why are flags lowered in Hornell? City marks loss of three longtime public servants

The fundraiser has set a $50,000 goal. To support the family, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/regina-gambino

“Her daughters are super appreciative already,” said Marino. “They are blown away with how quickly it blew up within one day.”

This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Hornell rallies to support Regi Gambino after emergency surgery