Francesco Allocca, pictured with his mother Pia, staff from Locust Valley High School, and Northwell Health officials.

By Michael Mashburn From Daily Voice

A 17-year-old Long Island athlete survived a terrifying cardiac arrest on the court thanks to coaches who rushed to his side and brought him back to life.

Moments earlier, the gym had been filled with the echo of sneakers and the buzz of basketball tryout nerves at Locust Valley High School on Monday, Nov. 17. Then, without warning, Francesco Allocca hit the floor, motionless.

"He turned very pale. I got very scared, saw one of his arms clench,” teammate William Summers recounted at a Northwell Health press conference Wednesday, Nov. 26. “He was struggling to breathe.”

In the frantic seconds that followed, Francesco’s coaches became first responders — dropping beside him, calling for the AED, and fighting to bring back a heartbeat no one could find. They administered multiple shocks.

“He literally came back to life right before our eyes,” one coach told CBS News York.

Paramedics arrived within minutes. Locust Valley superintendent Dr. Kristen Turnow rode in the ambulance, trying to reach Francesco’s mother.

A Chain of Heroes

EMS stabilized Francesco and transported him to Northwell’s Glen Cove Hospital, where emergency specialists continued lifesaving care, according to Northwell Health. He was then transferred to Cohen Children’s Medical Center, where pediatric cardiac teams treated him and confirmed he had regained a pulse before arriving at the hospital — the direct result of immediate CPR and defibrillation.

“When I heard ‘cardiac arrest,’ honestly I thought he didn’t make it,” said Pia Allocca, the boy's mother. “I went to the ER and I saw him — it was like a miracle.”

“Francesco’s survival is a powerful reminder that CPR training and immediate access to AEDs save lives,” said Dr. Maria Torroella Carney, president of Glen Cove Hospital. “The Locust Valley High School team did everything right, and their quick action made all the difference."

An Emotional Reunion

On Wednesday, Nov. 26 — the day before Thanksgiving — Francesco and his mom got to personally thank the heroes who saved him.

“I’m extremely thankful and grateful that you guys were there and acted so quickly,” Francesco told his coaches and trainers. “Without you guys, I wouldn’t be here.”

Doctors say Francesco has a strong recovery ahead and hope he may even return to the court this season — but not before taking time to heal.

"It couldn't be like a better Thanksgiving,” Pia told reporters. “Thank God and the community.”

The school district is now expanding its emergency readiness, including adding AEDs in elementary schools and upgrading communication systems.

You can learn how to perform CPR and use an AED on the American Heart Association's website.