Marist community comes together in support of Bellin
Dave Magarity heard the news. Then he saw the pictures of his former player, bloodied and injured.
His heart sank a little bit, and the images made him sick to his stomach.
“They were horrific,” the former Marist College men’s basketball coach and current West Point women’s basketball coach said. “It’s not until it clearly affects someone that you know on a personal level. Then it strikes a nerve.”
Magarity was speaking about Sebastien Bellin. Bellin was injured in Tuesday’s terrorist attacks in Brussels, Belgium. He was one of more than 230 people injured in the attack, which also killed at least 30 people. Although the extent of his injuries are unknown, Bellin, 37, was thrown 65 feet into the air as a result of the explosion. He required multiple surgeries.
From 1996-98, which spanned his freshman and sophomore seasons, Bellin played as a forward for Marist. He transferred to Oakland University in Michigan after his sophomore year. A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Bellin played professional basketball for the Belgian-based Gent Hawks as well as Belgium's BC Telenet Oostende. He now works for a video editing company in Belgium called "Keemotion."
Word of Bellin’s injuries, which are not life threatening, spread quickly.
Magarity, who recruited Bellin, received a text from his son, former Marist and Roy C. Ketcham High School guard Dave Magarity Jr., informing him of the news. Dave Jr. had received the word from his former teammate at Marist, Jared Jordan. The older Magarity remembered Bellin as a “kid with a great personality.”
“He’s just a good kid,” Dave Magarity Sr. said. “He had a nice way about him and he was a great recruit for us at the time.”
Like Magarity, George Siegrist was stunned when he heard the news. Siegrist knew Bellin from his time as an assistant coach at Marist.
“It’s just sad to see something like that happen to a good kid,” Siegrist said. “It’s brutal news. I know there are a lot of tweets and messages from former teammates. Luckily at Marist it’s a tight-knit community, and everyone is coming together for him.”
That support was evidenced by a tweet sent out by the Marist Athletics official Twitter page that read: “We wish Sebastien a speedy recovery.”
Magarity last saw Bellin “a couple years ago” when Bellin visited West Point. Magarity said Bellin spoke to him about "Keemotion."
“It’s a really unique company,” Magarity said. “He sold the product to a number of universities in the states. He had done a lot of business, even though he was still playing professionally.”
In his two years at Marist, Bellin played in 46 games. He averaged 2.4 points and 2.0 rebounds per game. But his kindness is what has left a mark on those who knew him at Marist.
“He’s just a very good kid,” Magarity said.
“My thoughts are with family,” Siegrist added. “It’s just tragic. It seems like no one is safe.”
A.J. Martelli: amartelli@poughkeepsiejournal.com, 845-437-4836, Twitter: @AJM_PoJoSports