Over the past six years, Marple Friends & Neighbors has featured many heartfelt and homegrown stories from our community. This month, we are excited to check back in with the Barry-Cottone family. If you recall, Brigit and Michael’s story first appeared in our September 2019 issue, and if you missed it, you can catch up by reading about their journey online at MarpleMag.com.
Michael and Brigit have been in Marple for eleven years. Brigit is a longtime resident of the area, having grown up in Newtown Square. She graduated from the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur, where she excelled in swimming. Michael grew up nearby in Lafayette Hill and graduated from St. Joe’s
Prep, where he played lacrosse. Sports have continued to be a big part of their lives. Not only were they both student-athletes in college, Michael is very active in Jiu Jitsu at Onyx in Newtown Square and Brigit is entering her tenth year as head swim coach at Notre Dame.
Brigit is also still working at USLI, a property and casualty insurance company in Wayne. In October, Brigit celebrated 17 years there! Michael, who worked at USLI when the two met, now works in pharmaceuticals at Encube Ethicals.
When we introduced Brigit and Michael to our readers, their oldest son Vin was three and a half, and baby Cormac was just 12 weeks old. If they thought they were busy then with two young boys, fast 
forward to today and they’re busier than ever keeping up with them. Vin is now eight and a third grader at Holy Child Academy in Drexel Hill. He swims at Suburban Swim Club and St. Albans Swim Club in Newtown Square. Vin also participated in Marple Newtown boys basketball and Marple baseball. “He loves sports, cards, going to church and playing with friends,” said Brigit. Cormac is now a kindergartener at Garrett’s Way in Newtown Square. He loves all things outdoors, swimming and going to the beach.
What has changed the most for the Barry-Cottones since 2019 is their community involvement. “Now that the boys are getting older, it’s given us the opportunity to connect with more of our neighbors,” said Brigit. “Whether it’s at their schools or in the local sports programs, we love getting more involved in their activities!”
The Barry-Cottones said that over the past six years, it’s been fun to see the changes in their neighborhood. “So many young families have moved in and there is always someone for the boys to play with,” Brigit remarked. Another thing their family loves is how much the community celebrates holidays. “If you’re not from the area, it’s definitely fun to see how all out the community goes with their holidays,” she added. “I don’t think most towns decorate as much as Broomall does for Halloween. It’s really fun!”
Getting our monthly magazine is also a highlight for Brigit and Michael. “We love reading all of the articles,” she added. “It’s a great way to connect with new people. If I meet someone who I saw featured in the magazine, I love to mention it. It’s the perfect icebreaker!”