GENEROUS TO THE END
Fallen L.I. teen was organ donor
You continue to be selfless and I couldn’t be more proud of you, my love. JOSH’S MOM SAYYIDA MILETO
HIS FINAL PLAY was a selfless gift.
A Long Island high school football player killed in a freak accident during a team-building drill donated his organs, his mother said Friday.
Josh Mileto, 16, was one of five Sachem East High School players holding a 10-foot-long, 400-pound section of a wooden utility pole over their heads as part of the drill when it fell and injured him Thursday morning, Suffolk police said. He was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital where he died.
“Received the phone call very early this morning for the transplant team, any and all viable options were completed my sweet sweet baby boy,” his mom Sayyida Mileto, 41, wrote in a heartbreaking Facebook post.
“You continue to be selfless and I couldn’t be more proud of you my love. Remember, Mommy loves you.”
She thanked family, friends and the high school community in Farmingville for their support. “We are absolutely beyond devastated,” she wrote. “We are in no way able to respond or speak to anyone at this point. Please respect our privacy at this difficult time.”
A private, family-only wake will be held for Josh Sunday at the McManus-Lowery Funeral Home in Medford, with a public wake there from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday. His funeral Mass will be held at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, followed by burial at the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Coram.
The family requested that in lieu of flowers, donations should be made to the Joshua Mileto Memorial Scholarship Fund, which has already raised more than $41,000 on a GoFundMe page.
Josh was hurt during an offseason conditioning session for both the varsity and the junior varsity teams. Official practice was to start Monday.
Suffolk cops classified it as an accident. Counselors were available Friday at both Sachem East and Sachem North high schools.
A spokeswoman for the Sachem Central School District clarified that the Sachem East Touchdown Club, a booster organization, operated the camp, not the district, although the school’s football coaches made up the staff of the camp.
Navy SEALs use a similar drill in their famously tough training course, which involves carrying a log with their arms extended over a sand berm.
While the spokeswoman for the school said that drill has been used “commonly” in the camp, six New York football coaches with more than 100 years of combined experience told the Daily News on Thursday they had never seen it and wouldn’t use it.
Robert Zayas, the executive director of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, signaled a possible future rules review.
“When unfortunate accidents occur, our association must analyze and examine all facets of the situation and determine what is in the best interests of the students who participate in athletics in our state,” he said. “At this time, we are offering support, assistance and prayers; the time will come for a review of rules.”
Some commenters on Facebook sharply criticized the coaches for instructing the players to do that drill. “Sounds like boot camp, rather then football practice for a young boy,” wrote Elena Napolitano.
“Why do coaches think of these stupid ways to train their athletes!!” asked Jaqueline Thaw. “This is not the NFL!”
Kerri Pavan, president of the Touchdown Club, did not respond to an email asking for comment on the club’s role in the camp.
“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends, as well as coaches, team, athletic staff and our student-athletes,” wrote the creator of the page.