By Mike Morton
Dominic Murray, a former basketball standout at Monsignor McClancy in East Elmhurst, lived by a hauntingly accurate motto of “live by the ball, die by the ball.”
Murray, a freshman on the Farmingdale State College basketball team, died of sudden cardiac arrest while participating in an open gym at the college Oct. 5, 2009, at age 17. Those who loved him are trying to make sure others don’t suffer the same fate.
His memory lives on in a fight to raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest in youth through the Dominic A. Murray 21 Memorial Foundation, created by his mother Melinda. On June 8, the foundation hosted its second annual Ballin’ to Protect Young Hearts basketball tournament for eighth-grade boys and girls entering high school at McClancy to spread awareness to young athletes and their parents.
“I didn’t want another family to experience the same tragedy that has become my reality,” Melinda Murray said. “I didn’t want another mother to go through that.”
Before the athletes and their teams can participate in the tournament, they must see a nutritionist, learn hands-only CPR and learn how to use a defibrillator. The winning school or travel team receives an automated external defibrillator, which Murray considers to be more valuable than any trophy they can reward.
Before giving the AED to the winning school, the foundation certifies the winning school’s coaches in CPR and educates the team, she said. Helping Our Guys and Girls Succeed and Coach Darnell Child took home the crown.
“More than basketball, it’s all about the awareness that we raised for the children,” said tournament director Louis Xifaras. “That was the underlying cause of the whole foundation and event.”
Added Murray, “For every young heart saved, that’s Dominic’s heart beating once more.”
Spreading awareness of sudden cardiac arrest and teaching CPR to young athletes is so important to Murray because an athlete dying of heart complications is not a rare occurrence. Every three days, one student athlete dies from sudden cardiac arrest, she said.
“Considering that it’s not rare and that so many people don’t know about it, it’s very critical through our tournament that we educate them on the awareness and importance of CPR,” Murray said.
The Dominic A. Murray Foundation is three years old and has certified more than 2,100 people in CPR, Murray said, as well as screened more than 1,200 youths for heart complications. The foundation provides scholarships in Dominic’s name to one McClancy student, and one Farmingdale student each year for $2,100, after Dominic’s jersey No. 21.
For a young man described as happy, energetic and full of life, it’s safe to say he would approve of his mother’s mission to spread awareness of sudden cardiac arrest.
“I know he’s smiling looking down on us right now,” Xifaras said. “He’d definitely give a thumbs up for what we’re doing in his name. I think it’s a great thing that we’re honoring him and continuing his legacy, but he would absolutely love this.”
