One year ago, 15-year-old Elijah-Jay Mariano Rivera tragically passed away after going into sudden cardiac arrest at football practice.
“When I found out this is what happened with Eli, I was confused,” father Jay Rivera said. “He was healthy. You look at him and you go, there’s no way you can see that there was something wrong with him.”
Eli, as his family calls him, wore number 65 on the football team and is described as a gentle giant.
“Huge heart,” his dad said. “Always giving, always willing to help, always just there.”
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On Tuesday, Windsor High School hosted a free event in his honor. In collaboration with nonprofit organization In a Heartbeat, approximately 150 students ages eight through 18 were provided with a free electrocardiogram (EKG) test.
“A lot of heart diseases are hereditary, and lot of young people don’t get their hearts checked,” Founder and President of In a Heartbeat Mike Papale said. “What an EKG can do is it can detect most heart diseases that cause sudden cardiac arrest.”
The test is non-invasive and take just minutes, but can help save lives. It helps detect heartbeat irregularities and identify pre-existing heart conditions that otherwise may go undetected.
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Jack Stanton, 18, was amongst the student-athletes taking advantage of the free test.
“If you’re worried about anything going on internally, what can you lose from it? If anything, you’ll benefit more from coming out here,” the senior said.
Stanton plays right guard on the football team and referred to Eli as his brother.
“He was such a good giving person,” Stanton said. “It’s kind of impossible for us to not carry his legacy.”
A.J. Robinson nodded along in agreement. He’s the quarterback of the football team and said Eli is a soul gone too soon.
“We can never forget Eli. He was a great kid,” Robinson, who is a junior, said. “We are always going to keep his legacy going forever.”
