For Old Westbury’s Steve Cestaro, the path to philanthropy was shaped by love, loss, and a promise to his late wife, Linda. What began in 2008 as a series of intimate dinner fundraisers organized by Linda during her six-year battle with breast cancer has grown into Linda’s Angels, an organization that has raised more than $1 million for the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides program.

Linda’s vision was simple and deeply personal. She wanted to turn her fight into funding for research, with the hope of sparing other families the same pain. After she passed away in 2014, Steve, alongside his business partner Jim DeAngelo, a fellow cancer survivor, his children Nicholas and Adrianna, and a close circle of family and friends, committed to carrying her mission forward.

“It’s a way for us to keep Linda’s spirit alive,” Steve shares.

Today, Linda’s Angels operates with purpose and precision, centered around two signature events. The first is the Annual Making Strides Walk, where the team’s unwavering presence at the Jones Beach walk has become a cornerstone of their year-round commitment. The second is the Annual Golf Outing, held each September at North Hills Country Club. Drawing an unusually strong field of more than 160 golfers, the outing is known for its festive Italian theme, memorable food, and what Steve fondly calls “consistently perfect weather,” something he credits to “Linda and her angels looking out for us.”

The impact of that golf outing has been extraordinary. In 2022, Linda’s Angels became the first team in New York to receive the American Cancer Society’s Hero of Research Award. The honor came with the rare opportunity to name a post-doctoral research grant in Linda’s memory, creating a lasting legacy that directly supports future cancer treatments. Just one year later, Steve himself was diagnosed with tongue cancer, and he openly credits his successful treatment to the very research advances made possible by efforts like those of Linda’s Angels.

That full-circle moment underscores the heart of the organization. Through dedication, consistency, and an unwavering belief in Linda’s original mission, Linda’s Angels has earned elite status among the American Cancer Society’s top fundraising teams, and has firmly established Steve Cestaro as a local hero whose impact continues to ripple far beyond Old Westbury.