‘It Could Have Gone Unnoticed’: Heart Screening Catches Rare Condition In Huntington Teen, Spurs Fundraiser

GREENLAWN, NY — What began as a routine heart screening for Harborfields High School student-athletes has turned into a powerful reminder of how early detection can save lives.

Students, families, and school officials gathered for a Heart Screen Awareness Night during the school’s boys basketball games, using the event to spotlight sudden cardiac arrest in young people and the importance of early heart screenings for student-athletes who may otherwise appear completely healthy.

The night centered on Harborfields student Michael Secko, now 17, whose cardiac screening in February 2024 flagged an undiagnosed heart condition when he was 16. School officials said his experience underscores why comprehensive cardiac screening and education matter, especially as concerns about cardiac conditions in youth athletes continue to grow on Long Island.

Harborfields Athletic Director Rob Franco said the original screening was conducted through Heart Screen NY, which partners with multiple heart-safety organizations. About 350 student-athletes were screened, and five were found to have underlying conditions they were not aware of. Michael was among the students who needed follow-up medical care and a corrective procedure.

Afterward, Franco said, Michael wanted to turn his experience into a way to help others while also completing community service hours. The result was an awareness night designed to raise both funds and visibility for heart screening efforts.

The event featured a student-run bake sale, raffles, and donation tables, with proceeds benefiting Heart Screen NY. The Harborfields Booster Club donated raffle items, including YETI products, and members of the school community contributed baked goods and volunteered time to support the effort. Youth basketball players also took part during halftime, and organizers encouraged attendees to wear red, a color commonly used to represent heart-health awareness.

Michael’s parents, Jeanine Pistilli-Secko and Michael Secko Sr., said they attended the screening without expecting it would uncover a serious condition. They said the day also included CPR and AED training, reinforcing the broader goal of preparing students and families to respond to emergencies.

They said Michael was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. a heart condition often called WPW, in which an extra electrical pathway causes the heart to beat abnormally fast at times. The condition can exist without noticeable symptoms and may not be detected during routine physical exams. Doctors say WPW is relatively rare, affecting an estimated 1 to 3 people per 1,000, but it can increase the risk of serious heart rhythm problems if left undiagnosed.

Jeanine said the diagnosis came as a surprise because her son had not reported symptoms. She said he later underwent a cardiac ablation procedure in the spring, and the experience motivated the family to pay it forward so other families could benefit from early detection.

Michael Secko Sr., a physician at Stony Brook, emphasized that screenings are routine, painless, and noninvasive, and he encouraged families not to hesitate. He pointed to stories of student-athletes collapsing without warning as a reason families should take screenings seriously.

Michael said the screening changed what he expected to be an ordinary day, and he described feeling confused and scared when the results showed something abnormal. He said learning about the condition early gave him the chance to address it before it could become a more serious problem later in life, and organizing the awareness night was his way of giving back for the support he received.

Jeanine also said her pediatric and orthodontic practice, Adelberg and Montalvan Pediatric Dental, pledged to match all donations and funds raised from the event. She also expressed gratitude to Franco and Harborfields High School for organizing the original screening, saying it played a direct role in enabling early detection.

Also in attendance were John and Karen Acompora, founders of the Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation. The Acomporas established the foundation after the 2000 death of their son, Northport High School freshman lacrosse player Louis Acompora, who suffered sudden cardiac arrest during a game. Organizers said their presence reinforced the long-standing impact of heart-safety advocacy on Long Island and the continuing push to expand screening, education, and access to life-saving resources in schools.