Defibrillator donated to Westerleigh baseball league
When Sam Benedetto, one of three “commissioners” of the Westerleigh Little Guys and Gals Baseball & Softball League, learned how defibrillators can save lives, he decided that the league should have one of its own.
He reached out to state Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-North Shore), who put him in touch with Fran and Frank Reali of the Frank J. Reali III Family Foundation. The non-profit group is devoted to raising awareness of, and providing support for, heart screening tests in young athletes.
The Reali Foundation presented an automated external defibrillator, known as an AED, device, along with heart first aid training, to the Westerleigh league during a short ceremony June 18 at the Holy Family Parish gymnasium on Watchogue Road.
On behalf of the league, Benedetto accepted the device from the Reali family. Also attending the ceremony from the Westerleigh league was Carole Hubeler, president; Lori Velluzzi, vice-president; Bob Devlin, director; Michael Morales, commissioner; Michele Devlin, commissioner, and league officials Rich and Maureen Ferretti. Coaches and parents representing both the league and the Holy Family Basketball/Sports program also attended.
When the league’s baseball season ends, the AED will be moved to the Holy Family gymnasium to be available for basketball and other sporting events run by the parish, Benedetto said.
“Fran and Frank are doing such a wonderful thing for us, and I can’t thank them enough,” Benedetto said.
The Frank J. Reali III Family Foundation was founded by Advance Woman of Achievement Fran (Francine) Reali and her husband Frank, after the sudden death of their son, Frank J. Reali III in 2007 due to a massive heart attack at age 36. The cause was hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – a heart condition which sometimes occurs in individuals who are very athletic. Frank was married and the father of five children.
After their son’s death, Fran and Frank Reali resolved to save as many children as they could. If a youngster is contemplating playing sports, they work to have the child tested for unsuspected – and usually undiagnosed without certain testing – heart conditions.
The non-profit foundation has been in existence for less than two years and already has a partnership with Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) and a number of physicians.
Through fund-raisers, the foundation was able to purchase its first echocardiogram machine last year, which it donated to SIUH. The foundation has embarked on a program to test all incoming high school freshmen prior to entering high school sports. The foundation hopes to make heart baseline testing a part of the mandatory school physical.
Persons interested in more information about baseline heart testing for students, or in supporting the Reali Foundation can log on to the Web site www.FrankJRealiIIIFamilyFoundation.org.