Some years, it’s brutally cold. Sometimes, it’s downright wet. But the 2025 St. Patrick’s Day Parade was tremendous, partly because of the solid weather, but also because of the honorees.
Deputy Grand Marshal Donna Bocchino has been a tremendous advocate for the residents of North Arlington in her role on the Borough Council. She spearheaded bringing Hometown Heroes banners to the borough, leading the way and causing Lyndhurst, Nutley and Kearny following suit thereafter.
Deputy Grand Marshal Mike Mara has dedicated much of his life to young people who love the game of soccer — and now has made buying soccer supplies so much easier having opened up a shop on Kearny Avenue.
But then there is the grandest of Grand Marshals Mark Wiggins, whose green suit worn on parade day found its way from his children’s imagination, to a shop in Scotland to Kearny in a short amount of time.
Indeed, the suit made the day even more memorable, more bright, but it’s what Wiggins does on a daily basis that truly makes him one of this community’s truest gems.
I’ve known Mark for 30+ years now. And yet, every week, there seems to be a reminder of something he’s done to make this community better. Whether it’s his simple presence at a party, his holding up Mayor Carol Jean Doyle at his parade dinner or any number of moments, Mark is just always there.
Thinking of him brought me back to 2020, too. Hard as it is to remember, there was a time his funeral home had so many people who couldn’t be buried — and there was so little he could do — because of COVID.
Think of any number of funerals that have taken place at Armitage & Wiggins. Yes, sadly, it seems there have been entirely too many. But is there any doubt just how much he was born to do what he does as a chosen profession?
When people go to visit him on Belgrove Drive, they are often doing so at their absolute darkest moments. When they arrive, they are deep in sorrow. But he has this way to make them feel as if they are the only people in the world who matter at that moment.
He has this uncanny ability to make the near impossible almost enjoyable. And that is such a rare, yet equally amazing quality I am sure many reading this will be able to look back at and say, “Yeah, Mark really does do that.” When one says “Only Mark,” no one ever has to ask “Mark who?” It’s because for decades, he has made Kearny and this world such a significantly better place in truly a unique way.
It was on full display at the recent funeral for Michael D’Isa when he, knowing how much Michael loved the Beatles, went out and bought three Beatles albums to play as mourners came to pay respects. It was a unique touch that is just one of countless reasons why he is such a special human being.
I will get no arguments in saying, “There truly is no one in the world like Mark Wiggins.” And for it, each and every one of us are all so much better off.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.