Daniel J. Messina is an unabashed optimist, a fierce competitor who communicates in the tough-love, coach-talk of a lifelong athlete. “Sometimes my wife yells at me to be a realist,” Messina says, laughing. “But I am an idealist. It’s who I am.” Messina is a native, a booster and a lifelong resident of Staten Island, who has run eight New York City marathons, trekked up Mt. Kilimanjaro and hiked from France to Italy to Switzerland to the Mont Blanc summit.

He is no lay-about at his day job, either. Messina is president and CEO of Richmond University Medical Center, the very hospital in which he was born 58 years ago. In his spare time — yes, he makes time — he raises awareness and money on behalf of those, like his late mother Rose, who have multiple sclerosis. He was instrumental in the building of one of the few residences for people with MS. “You want to reduce suffering, to make life easier,” he says. “It’s all in tribute to my mother.”

Much of Messina’s education was at St. Margaret Mary’s School in Staten Island. But his best memories are from his time at New Dorp HS, where he may have shone more on the baseball field than behind a desk.

I grew up on the North Shore then moved to Midland Beach and lived there until I got married. I’m proud of my humble roots and proud of having been born and raised on Staten Island. Our family has roots here. My uncle, Dr. Louis A. D’Alacey, was a well-known surgeon in his time.

It was my mother who first and foremost informed who I am. She is my hero. She spent most of her adult life paralyzed and in a wheelchair from MS. Yet, she always had a smile on her face and expected me to do the same. How could I not follow her lead?

I was an only child. It was my mother, my father and me. We were close. My mother died three years ago, and I miss her every day. My father is still alive, and he took care of her all by himself until he was in his 80s. We all pulled together.

I went to kindergarten at PS 38, and then to Catholic grammar school where the nuns would hit you with paddles. I never got paddled. My mother wouldn’t have put up with the kind of behavior that got you paddled. After that, I attended New Dorp HS. I loved it there. I was probably more sports-oriented than interested in studying, but I had great teachers and coaches. I was just inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame and I’m very proud of that.

My high school baseball coach, who also was my English teacher, John Pecoraro, is one of my all-time heroes. He taught me how to strike that tremendous balance in life between discipline and fun. You work hard and you enjoy your life. That’s something I try to remember every day of my life.

Coach Pecoraro was at my wedding. You know how important someone is when you invite them to your wedding. He’s retired now. We’ve stayed close. He has come to my MS fundraising events over the years.

I was actually on the football team as a freshman and I was trying out for the team for my sophomore year. I came down to the last day, and in the locker room my football coach, the legendary Sal Somma, looked at me and said, “Can you tell me why I should keep you on this team next year?”

That was the only time in my life when I could not get words out of my mouth. I just froze. I had gone through the whole season and played well. I even had gotten my crew cut. But nothing came out. I was in shock.

I didn’t make the team. I stuck to baseball. He died 22 years ago. But I still think of him even if he didn’t let me on that team. He was right. He asked me a simple question and I couldn’t answer it.

I think sports is a great tool for developing a strong character and to instill teamwork. All the things I’ve learned in my sporting life I apply in running an organization. Develop a team. Motivate that team. Work hard. Be competitive.

I think I was born disciplined — another thing I thank my mother for every single day of my life.

— As told to reporter Christina Cheakalos