Gerry Menditto was born and rasied in Coney Island. He began working as an electrician at Astroland in the mid-1970s, and eventually found himself at the controls of the world-famous Cyclone roller coaster. Now he oversees a crew that inspects, repairs, and operates one of America’s oldest thrill rides — not an easy task considering the Cyclone is 82 years old and exposed to corrosive, salty air.

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