Politics & Government

Town to Offer Grief Counseling to Long Island Aquarium Staffers

Announcement follows apparent suicide of food services director Robert Lanieri.

After the second apparent suicide of a key Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center Thursday, Riverhead Town is planning to offer grief counseling to employees left behind.

Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter said, like everyone else, he found the death of Robert Lanieri, the food services director for the Long Island Aquarium, ”a complete shock. It's unbelievable."

Lanieri, Walter said, "was an amazing man. He told me something once -- and, given my reputation sometimes, I took the words to heart -- he said, 'Only you can ruin your day.' He tried to live by that motto."

The former Riverhead Chamber of Commerce president, Lanieri, Walter said, will be missed by many. "He was always smiling, very gregarious," Walter said. "We took a trip into Manhattan a couple of years ago to look at a dinner boat that wanted to dock in downtown Riverhead. We had dinner in a steakhouse -- he was a great guy. He was just such a positive spirit. My heart and prayers go out to his family." 

To help soothe the shocked and devastated fellow employees Lanieri left behind, Walter said the town plans to offer grief counseling services to Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition staffers; details have not yet been ironed out.

The apparent suicide is the second such tragedy to befall the Aquarium -- cofounder James Bissett is believed to have committed suicide in December, 2011; he was found dead in his car at Veterans Park in Mattituck. His death rocked the Riverhead community as mourners remembered him as a man who breathed new life into the downtown business arena.

Riverhead Police Detective Sgt. Joseph Loggia said Friday that police are investigating the death as "an apparent suicide." As of yet, Loggia said, there are "no details to be discussed." The Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office is also investigating the cause of death, he said. 

Riverhead town police said Thursday night the case was reported in Jamesport at 1:36 p.m. but was initially described only as an aided case.

Lanieri was mourned Thursday night. "I have known him for many years and he was a highly energetic and extremely compassionate man," Riverhead Town Councilman Jim Wooten said. "He was always available and would render assistance no matter who asked him. Who really knows why people do things like this? I will pray for him and his loved ones. His shoes will be hard to fill. I am still in a state of shock."


Find out what's happening in Riverheadwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here