The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

Faith

One Resident’s Story of Hope & Healing

by

PHOTO BY DONNA MUELLER

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines courage as “the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” This word certainly applies to lifelong Pleasantville resident Yvette Ferrao Smyth. Last year, Smyth went through a serious medical condition. But with courage, faith and a sense of humor, she has come out the other side and wants to help bring awareness to others. When talking to Smyth, her sense of joy for life and her gratitude really shine through.

“Pleasantville is my hometown – I formally lived on Lake Shore Drive, in the first house ever built on that street.” Smyth’s late husband inherited the home from his paternal aunt, and they loved living in that neighborhood. Smyth has always loved gardening – everything from vegetables, flowers, herbs and berries, and her neighbors proclaimed hers the best garden on the street. But on a few occasions last Spring, she had a fall in her garden. “I thought, maybe I’m doing too much but there came a point I couldn’t go up the stairs in my house.” She started eating better but her health wasn’t improving, and things were getting worse with Smyth taking to sleeping downstairs and losing the ability to cook and other simple tasks.

“On May 30, 2025, I couldn’t get out of bed. The young couple next door suggested I go to the hospital,” said Smyth. A few days prior, she had noticed a golf ball-sized bump on her right thigh, which she assumed was merely a bruise. “I had the courage to think positive, I didn’t want to give up, thinking surely this will pass.” But Smyth was admitted to Northern Westchester Hospital for what would be a series of procedures to save her life.

She was first diagnosed with a hematoma – essentially internal bleeding and immediately had surgery. Smyth also needed a blood transfusion as well as a mesh inserted into her thigh. In addition, there were other issues to be dealt with. Smyth was also diagnosed with a parathyroid issue and had a transsphenoidal surgery to remove a benign tumor that was pushing her pituitary gland. She also required a right frontal VP shunt insertion. ”I had just gotten out of the ICU and then had to go back in.” She credits Dr. Danilo Otavio De Araujo Sliva, Director of Neurosurgery, with saving her life. “I met with him and immediately took a liking to him. He is my hero. He said, ‘there are always risks in surgery, but you’ll be alright’ and I trusted him.” All of Smyth’s children had flown in to be with her after her first surgery but at some point, had to go home to their families. “I was petrified and alone, but I had courage – faith and prayers. I said, I am going to make it through this, and I did.”

Smyth’s faith and courage through adversity helped her get through a very tough time in her life. “Am I going to be OK? I’ve always been so vibrant, going out and about in Pleasantville. I’m not going to give up. I promised myself I would be the same person again.” After her surgeries, Smyth was taken to Phelps Memorial Hospital for physical therapy, though she was still having trouble walking when she returned home in June 2025. After turning 74 in August, she was still not feeling 100% and decided to put her house up for sale. Relocating to an apartment in the center of Pleasantville has been the right move for her. “I live right above Chase Bank, and I think to myself – I’m sitting upon other people’s millions,” she says with a smile.

She can now walk and jog and calls it a miracle. “I had the courage and faith to go through this recovery. A positive attitude, faith and prayers help. With God’s help you can make it through and things work out.” And as for her longtime status in Pleasantville Smyth says, “I feel blessed and fortunate to be in Pleasantville, I couldn’t ask for a better place to live. You grow where you’re planted.”

The Baha’i Faith: Focusing on What Unites Us

by

Pictured (L-R): Jerry Watson, Pamela Thornton (Director of the Chappaqua Library) Mary Watson and Shohreh Anand.

According to theology researchers, there are 4,200 religions around the world. Of those, eight are represented on the Chappaqua Interfaith Council. The small, but dedicated group of Baha’is, which counts eight to 10 member families on average is an avid member of the Council and has enjoyed being part of the Chappaqua community for almost 50 and years.

The Chappaqua group recently made a book donation to the local library to commemorate the 200th bicentenary of the birth of Baha’u’llah, its founder. It’s not surprising though that this group has embedded itself within the fabric of its communities despite its small numbers. The central message of the Baha’i teachings, after all, is unity and inclusivity.

A Spiritual Paradigm Shift

Mary Watson, a Chappaqua resident for 30 years, has been a practicing Baha’i since the age of 20. Raised Methodist in “a small town” on the shore of Lake Michigan, her family, like most, never considered questioning their religion. As Mary articulates, “We are typically dedicated to the faith we were born into and to reassess that is a major paradigm shift as one inevitably becomes attached to what one already intrinsically knows.”

Watson’s “small town” also happened to be the Whirlpool Corporation’s headquarters and with that came a population who put an emphasis on education. Several families decided to organize a theological study group to inform their youth on the world’s major religions. They identified a professor, Dr. Albert Vail, a Harvard Divinity School Ph.D., and embarked upon their journey.

The group studied religions in chronological order every few weeks.  Almost one-and-a-half years into their studies, they were introduced to the Baha’i Faith. These lessons resonated with Mary’s family as no other and ultimately had a life-changing impact. The basis of its teachings is unity and the concept that every person is created noble by God and therefore should be treated with love and respect.

“The Baha’i teachings appealed to us for many reasons,” recalled Mary. Her clear, blue eyes alight as she recounts, “The teachings are very logical and sensible, yet deeply spiritual. The most important virtues are honesty, trustworthiness, forbearance and generosity. Baha’is are committed to promoting unity, the equality of men and women, and standing up for justice. We look for the good in people and promote what draws us together. For example, if a person has 10 characteristics and nine are good and one is bad, we focus on the nine. Similarly, if a person has one good characteristic and nine bad ones, we empower the one.”

The Baha’i Era

Baha’u’llah, the founder of the Baha’i Faith, was born into a wealthy Persian family in 1817. He gave up his position and possessions to serve humanity and became known as the “father of the poor.” He taught the oneness of humanity and had a vision of a future united in justice, peace and prosperity. The other central figure to the faith is “the Bab,” meaning gate, who foresaw a time of spiritual reform and heralded the coming of Baha’u’llah in 1844, which is considered to be the commencement of the Baha’i Era. As the direct result of their beliefs, the Bab was executed, and Baha’u’llah was forced into exile. He remained a prisoner until his death, 40 years after founding the Baha’i Faith.

Baha’i believe that each great religious messenger such as Krishna, Moses, Buddha, Christ and Muhammed has taught us about God and how to live our lives. Each Messenger builds upon the messages of the past. Mary explains, “We see religion as similar to going through grades in school. Each faith builds upon the last in a sort of spiritual evolution.” The teachings of Baha’u’llah are meant for the modern age we live in. In about a thousand years another Messenger will appear and the cycle will continue.

A Modern Message

“The timing of Baha’u’llah’s writings is a major unifying factor as they came during the printing era,” Mary points out. “While most faiths are divided into various denominations, there is one version of our scriptures and no splintered groups.

To be a Baha’i and meet another Baha’i is an indescribable feeling because we immediately understand that we share a unified belief system.”

Reflective of the modern era in which it was formed, the Baha’i Faith is relatively revolutionary. It is differentiated from most religions by the embrace and love of equality and diversity. According to Mary, “Baha’is represent the most diverse range of cultures and races. Not only do we accept intermarriage, but it is actually encouraged.”

The Baha’is are also unique in their emphasis on education–it’s compulsory for both men and women. In fact, Mary says, “if a family only has the means to educate either their son or daughter, we believe it is more important for the daughter to go through schooling. Women are considered the mothers of the next generation.” Furthermore, Baha’is accept and promote the understanding of scientific principles. “We believe in a balance between science and religion. Having religion without science, we become too superstitious and without faith, the world is a breeding ground for injustice and hate,” says Mary.

Fittingly, Baha’is are led in a non-traditional manner. There is no designated leader or priesthood. Volunteers serve as “facilitators” of weekly study groups. “In this age of literacy,” Mary adds, “we don’t require a leader to teach us what to believe. Through a consultative process, all members discuss their thoughts and everyone’s comments are equally valuable.” In line with this democratic philosophy, every year Baha’is elect a National Spiritual Assembly, and every five years the members meet in Israel, to elect the Universal House of Justice, whose guidance, based on Baha’i Writings, provides direction for action.

Finding Strength in Our Differences

Mary credits the Faith for her family’s strong sense of identity and for helping them make good decisions. Their Faith empowers them to see the beauty in all people. In a world full of challenges and opportunities, they hold on to their beliefs, while celebrating our differences and focusing on what unites us as a human race.