By Laura Lane
Robbie Levine Foundation makes life-saving device a priority in 2008
Jill and Craig Levine of Merrick spent their New Year's Day differently than most people. They held a news conference at the North Merrick Fire Department to mark 2008 as the "Year of the Defibrillator."
The couple hope to raise awareness of the importance of having automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) available where children play. At the same time, they are paying tribute to their son, Robbie, who died of an undetected heart condition on Sept. 27, 2005, after rounding the bases during a Little League practice.
The Levines believe that having a defibrillator on the ball field might have saved Robbie's life. They have worked tirelessly since his death to help ensure that others don't experience a similar tragedy.
State Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr., a Republican from Merrick, helped set up the news conference. "Senator Fuschillo's office told us not to expect much and to feel the press conference was a success if News 12 came, but an hour before we left, they told us CBS, NBC, Fox, News 12, 1010 Wins and Newsday would be there," Jill said. "It was like a dream, exactly what we would want."
Fuschillo and state Assemblyman David McDonough, a Republican from North Merrick, joined the Levines at the news conference. The two elected officials agreed to sponsor a resolution in the Senate and Assembly giving 2008 "Year of the Defibrillator" designation.
"I'll be introducing it next week; it's being drafted as we speak," McDonough said. "Had a defibrillator been available, it might have saved Robbie's life. In the past, I've provided them to schools and the fire department through grants. I'll do everything I can do to help the Levines with this."
The Levines formed Forever 9: the Robbie Levine Foundation in memory of their son, shortly after his death. Jill, who described the foundation as a full-time job, said she is encouraged. "The foundation is growing in all ways, and I feel like it's successful," she said, sitting at home under a painting of a smiling Robbie in his baseball uniform. "With this being the Year of the Defibrillator, I feel like we're taking the next step in getting the word out. This is Robbie's legacy."
The foundation adopts an underprivileged baseball league each year, providing it with an AED and funding. The foundation also helps any league that is committed to buying AEDs, giving it one free of charge to get started. Additional information on different types of defibrillators, AED training and where to place an AED on a field is also provided.
Jill said she has answered more than 600 e-mails since the news conference, corresponding with people as far away as Florida. Some say they want more information about AEDs, while others say she has inspired them to get AEDs for their leagues.
"The goal is to make people ask, when their kids are playing, if there is a defibrillator, and to ask, if there isn't, why not?" Jill said. "Every time I go somewhere that my son Josh is playing, I look to see if one is there. If there isn't one, I bring out mine. Our ultimate goal is to have a law that it has to be on the field."
Fuschillo plans not only to sponsor the resolution in the Senate, but to take the message statewide. The AED "should be as common as a fire extinguisher -- every minute counts," said Fuschillo, adding that he would like to see the devices required for all nonprofit organizations. "Robbie's death heightened the awareness. I'll be talking to the state health department and state athletic association to ask the state to adopt it. If not, I'll initiate legislation."
On Nov. 15, Fuschillo sponsored legislation that became law, requiring signs to be posted at building entrances indicating the location of defibrillators. As of Jan. 1, all on-duty state trooper's cars are required to have defibrillators, another result of Fuschillo's work.
"One point seven million dollars was appropriated last year in the budget for the training and purchase of AEDs in all on-duty state trooper cars," Fuschillo said. "By the end of this month, all 6,000 state police personnel will be trained. It's a major accomplishment to give first responders AEDs."
Members of the North Merrick Fire Department, local youth sports league officers and Robbie's former Merrick-North Merrick Little League teammates also attended the news conference. Jill said she continues to be touched by the outpouring of support she has received from the Merrick community and people across the country.
Still, the Levines continue to miss Robbie terribly. "Of course I would have rather been sitting around in my pajamas watching the Rose Bowl with Robbie on New Year's Day," Jill said. "Life is totally different without him. ... His life was our life; he was always laughing, and he was fun."
Comments about this story? LLane@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
