Mt. Kisco Little League Gets Support After Teammate Survives Heart Problem

The Mt. Kisco Little League had a chance Monday to promote heart condition awareness as one of their own players continued on his road to recovery after a terrifying incident at a game earlier this summer.

At a defibrillator clinic held at Sports Authority in White Plains, Little Leaguers, parents and others in the community listened to health experts talk about the use of CPR and response, and even got to chat with former major league pitcher Dwight "Doc" Gooden.

The clinic was the culmination in a outpouring of support that has come over the summer, since teammate Mikey Corsi survived a sudden stoppage of his heart while playing.

During a June 30 game at Lewisboro, Corsi was stealing second base. It was while sliding into it that he became immobile, with his heart stopping.

“I saw he wasn’t moving,” said Coach Ralph Nuzzi, who called for help.

Fortunately, Nuzzi’s cousin, Dr. Carmine Sorbera, was attending the game and jumped in to save Corsi. Sobrera, who is a Lewisboro resident and a cardiologist at Columbia University Medical Center, performed CPR several times on Corsi.

“It’s hard to even believe, really, what happened,” said his mother, Lisa, who added that her son being saved was more than she could imagine.

The sudden nature of what happened is based on a genetic medical condition. Corsi, 10, has an abnormality with his heart rhythm, Sobrera explained, called Long QT Syndrome. Since the event happened, Corsi has been making a strong recovery, and he may be able to start swimming again in a few days, his mother explained.

Lisa Corsi also praised the clinic and support they have been getting.

“I think it’s been amazing,” she said. Many of his family and friends came out to the event.

When Mikey Corsi was asked to give his tought about the the education effort made to get people to use defribrillators, his reply was "good."

What happened to Corsi brought an even heightened level of urgency for the league to get a defibrillator.

“I think it put it on the front burner,” said Ed Reilly, the little league’s president.

Even before Cori’s problem emerged, the Mt. Kisco Little League made a February grant application for $5,000 to the SNY cable channel, to pay for getting defibrillators, according to Beth Romski, who helps out with the league. Only six grants were being given out, but Mt. Kisco was not chosen.

By coincidence, a notice about the grant decisions was sent to the league around the same time as Corsi’s problem occurred. A response email was sent by Reilly, and included a mention of what just happened. As a result, SNY put the league in touch with Marguerite White, a regional marketing manager with Sports Authority, which presents the SNY grants.

Sports Authority responded with the first of what would be an outpouring of support, donating a defibrillator to the league, as well as 75 HeartShields, chest-area hard pads made by XO Athletic as a form of heart protection.

Soon, money was raised for two more defibrillators, with donors including Mayor Michael Cindrich and Joseph Cosentino, who chairs the Planning Board and helps out at the Mount Kisco Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

Extended members of the Corsi family were also among donors, according to Romski. As a result, the little league now as a defibrillator for each traveling team age group: 10 and under, 11 and under, and 12 and under. The machines can also be used for the spring teams, who play against each other locally.

For attendees who came in support, the clinic was a helpful event, and the importance of debfibrillators was noted.

Gooden, a former Yankee and Met, said the clinic is “very helpful to the kids.” He came to the event after being sought by Sports Authority. During a talk with folks in an audience, including little leaguers, Gooden fielded multiple questions about his time in baseball, ranging from which pitches he used (a fast ball and curve ball) to how many home runs he scored (eight in his career).

For Cindrich, there was a personal experience behind supporting the use of defibrillators. A Mamaroneck Town Police Lieutenant in his day job, Cindrich recalled an incident several years ago, in which he and a fellow policeman help revive a man going into cardiac arrest.

“I wasn’t convinced we were going to save the man,” he said, describing how he performed CPR, when another officer came in with an defibrillator, which was used to bring him back.

“I can testify that they do work,” he said.

Sorbera felt that the event was beneficial.

“Well I think the awareness that it’s provided is enormously helpful” for everyone around.