‘Pickleball For Pop’ Delivers a Wide Serve for Alzheimer’s

By Kami-Leigh Agard

This past Saturday, March 28, scores packed the court for local resident Adam Funtleyder, aka DJ Mugsy’s Mugs’, “Pickleball For Pop” Alzheimer’s awareness event at Rockaway Beach Pickleball & Golf. Judging from the crowd, Funtleyder definitely knows how to swing a wide serve, as also in attendance were native New Yorker celebs: Brooklyn-born Sopranos star Joe Gannascoli and Queens baseball great Allen Watson, from the NY Yankees ’99 and ‘00 World Series championship teams. However, as Funtleyder said, amidst the celebrity star power, the true star was his father, Elliot Funtleyder, who passed away from the fatal neurodegenerative disease in February 2022.

“My passion is to spread awareness about Alzheimer’s, and resources from the Alzheimer’s Association to be somewhat of a help or assistance to people either suffering from the disease or caretakers who are going through it,” Funtleyder said.

Alzheimer’s disease is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. According to the National Institutes of Health, as of early 2026, Alzheimer’s remains the sixth leading cause of death, with over seven million Americans aged 65 and over estimated to have Alzheimer’s dementia, a number expected to rise to nearly 14 million by 2060. And for families like Funtleyder’s, caregivers undergo heart-wrenching emotional and, in many cases, financial hardships.

At the event, an attendee, César Velez, hailing from Brooklyn, whose 73-year-old mother is being affected by the disease, said, “It’s easy to get lost in everything Alzheimer’s takes, but moments like this with pickleball, live music, and people coming together, remind you of what’s still here. The connection, the love and people showing up for each other.”

Following in his father’s musical footsteps (even as Sopranos’ actor Gannascoli’s elementary music teacher in Brooklyn), Funtleyder is not just a deejay, but an acclaimed music producer producing songs for the likes of Jennifer Lopez, reggae artist Beenie Man, and many more. Also, he dedicates his time to other causes, such as The Little North Pole, which, besides bringing life-sized holiday cheer, raises funds for juvenile diabetes advancements through Breakthrough T1D, and Rockaway Beach Autism Families events.

Last Saturday, as folks were sporting their purple for Alzheimer’s awareness, Funtleyder said he’s been hosting “Pickleball For Pop” for the last four years, as he feels the sport brings people together of all backgrounds.

He said, “Playing pickleball brings a community together to enjoy themselves. Plus, music heals and empowers.” Also, he hopes that by bringing people together to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s, people won’t simplify the disease as just a memory loss.

“It’s not just about, ‘Oh, he or she’s memory is fading.’ It’s about learning how to talk with them, treat them with respect, foods to eat and foods to avoid, doctors, tests and so much more,” he said. “The Alzheimer’s Association has been a tremendous resource. I encourage everyone to reach out to them.”

Velez said, “To watch a loved one going through Alzheimer’s is a grieving process. However, it’s nice to see we are not alone. All we can do is keep pressing on and hope a cure is on the way.”

For more info about the Alzheimer’s Association, call the 24/7 hotline: (800) 272-3900 or visit: https://www.alz.org/