Just ahead of Thanksgiving, Locust Valley High School student Francesco Allocca has plenty of people that he is grateful for. After suffering a cardiac arrest during varsity basketball tryouts on Nov. 17, Allocca was resuscitated by his coaches and school staff, and treated by medical professionals at Glen Cove Hospital and Cohen Children’s Medical Center. On Nov. 26, Allocca and his mother Pia reunited with those heroes at Glen Cove Hospital’s Pratt Auditorium.
“Performing CPR and using that AED was absolutely lifesaving,” Glen Cove Hospital’s Emergency Department Chairperson Dr. Mityanand Ramnarine said of the school staff and EMS workers’ efforts. “When it comes to cardiac arrests, we know that every second matters.”
The team at Glen Cove Hospital received Allocca on the night of the incident and cared for him before he was then sent to Cohen Children’s Medical Center for additional treatment.
“Francesco’s case shows how a coordinated chain of care, from the school staff to EMS to hospital specialists, can truly save a young life,” said Dr. Cheryl Taurassi, pediatric intensivist at Cohen Children’s Medical Center.
Basketball coaches Andrew Siegel, Andrew Bock and Ben Martinez, as well as other coaches Brian Lorusso and Elliot Aramayo, leaned into their CPR and automated external defibrillator training and stabilized the student in mere minutes. Head Custodian and Locust Valley Fire Department chief Artie Sandstrom, paramedic Scott Sila and firefighter and Locust Valley teaching assistant Michael Sabatino arrived on scene quickly and assisted the coaches. These heroes and community members are breathing a bit easier after seeing Allocca out of the hospital.
In the wake of that terrifying night, the Locust Valley Central School District immediately ordered seven more AEDs and announced it will seek ways to expand CPR and AED training to more of its building staff, as is already required for all coaches.
“The AED was located right outside the gymnasium. In an emergency, you cannot be looking for an AED,” Locust Valley Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kristen Turnow said. “To increase the survival rate, a three-minute response time is critical. This is why the strategic placement of AEDs is crucial to outcomes.”
With Francesco now home, the Allocca family is ready to enjoy a quiet Thanksgiving.