‘He saved my life’

In a time of crisis, especially one that’s potentially life or death, it’s reassuring to know that someone’s got your back. For Denise Lonergan, a crisis arose on March 29, and luckily for her, an East Rockaway high school student who is also her cousin was there to make a difference.

Lonergan, who is from Island Park, was visiting with her aunt Susan Cassano last weekend in Bay Park when she started having a seizure in the kitchen. Seizures are nothing new for Lonergan, as she has had them for years, but as of late they are occurring more frequently.

This one marked her second of the day, but this time was different. “When she first had the seizure I wasn’t very concerned because I know she has them,” Susan said, “and she usually comes right out of them, but she didn’t come out of this one.

“I tried to move her and I couldn’t,” she continued. “She was stiffened up from the seizures and every muscle in her body was tight.”

Laurie Cassano, whose son Alex Kottke was upstairs in his bedroom at the time, was also unsure if Lonergan was going to be OK. “I knew I couldn’t help her… I didn’t know if she was going to be all right,” she said. “I was just trying to remain calm.” Laurie quickly ran upstairs to get her son while Susan dialed 911.

Kottke, a sophomore lacrosse and football player, as well as a member of the Boy Scouts, soon arrived in the kitchen and saw his cousin on her back and choking. He did not hesitate to act.

“I couldn’t move her enough to get her airway open so we needed somebody strong,” Susan said.

Kottke promptly sat Lonergan up to stop her from choking, but it wasn’t long before she had her third seizure of the day, and this one was also bad. Kottke then instructed his family members to help get Lonergan on her side, something he learned during his time in the Boy Scouts. Within a few minutes a police officer was one the scene and not far behind was and ambulance and paramedics there to help.

The paramedics recommended taking her to South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside and while she was in the ambulance, Lonergan overheard the paramedics say that Kottke had saved her life.

“If he was not in this house, they wouldn’t have gotten here quick enough,” Lonergan said. “I was blue.”