Locust Valley Basketball Player Francesco Allocca Survives Cardiac Arrest at Tryouts, Shares Tearful Thanksgiving with Mom Pia Two Years After Dad’s Death
November 28, 2026
This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on November 28, 2026
Francesco Allocca, a Locust Valley HS basketball player, thanks coaches and first responders for his survival, while his mother honors his late father, Paul, who passed away from cancer
A Locust Valley High School basketball player’s near-tragedy has evolved into one of Long Island’s most touching Thanksgiving narratives.
On November 17, 2026, junior forward Francesco Allocca, (class of 2026), experienced sudden cardiac arrest during tryouts, only to be revived through a rapid chain of survival actions that moved his entire town with relief.
The 17-year-old son of the late Paul Allocca, who tragically passed away on April 29, 2026, at age 52, and Pia Scarfo Allocca, was clinically deceased for several minutes inside the Locust Valley gymnasium before basketball coaches Andrew Siegel, Andrew Bock, Ben Martinez, Brian Lorusso, and Elliot Aramayo administered CPR and used an AED positioned conveniently outside the gym.
Promptly, Head Custodian and Locust Valley Fire Department Chief Artie Sandstrom, paramedic Scott Sila, and firefighter/teaching assistant Michael Sabatino arrived to deliver life-saving shocks and advanced care, successfully restarting Francesco’s heart before he was transported to Glen Cove Hospital and later transferred to Cohen Children’s Medical Center.
Nine days later, on November 26, Francesco—now fully conscious—and his deeply moved mother Pia, a NORC Program Director at Vision Urbana, Inc. following her health policy degree from the University of Pittsburgh—returned to the hospital for an emotional reunion with the team that saved him, expressing heartfelt thanks to everyone involved.
“This is very emotional for us, for our family; we are very grateful for the coaches and staff stepping in when Francesco was having cardiac arrest… It couldn’t be a better Thanksgiving—thank God and thank this community.”
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Raised alongside brothers Giuseppe and Giovanni in Locust Valley, Francesco Allocca was a dedicated member of the Falcons’ varsity squad since his sophomore year, excelling in both power forward and small forward roles with the same determination his late father was known for.
Now, just days after doctors declared his survival unlikely, Francesco is already home, preparing for a holiday season rich with significance for his family, while Locust Valley Central School District responds by adding seven more AED units and expanding CPR/AED education, guided by Superintendent Dr. Kristen Turnow’s reminder that “a three-minute response time is critical” to saving lives.
Francesco Allocca, his mother Pia, and the medical team who saved his life.As cardiac specialists at Cohen Children’s Medical Center work to pinpoint the reason behind the unexpected episode in an otherwise healthy teen, the shared message for Locust Valley remains clear: gratitude toward ordinary people whose courage became extraordinary in the face of crisis.
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