Three Suffolk County Sheriff officers selected to hold flag at Nov. 30 New York Jets game

Three Suffolk County Sheriff’s officers will be recognized at a New York Jets game next month for their lifesaving efforts that helped a Middle Island man in September.

Monday afternoon, Sheriff Errol D. Toulon Jr., Jets liaison Steven Castleton, and members of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office surprised Deputy Sheriff Dylan Hever and Correction Officers Sean Higgins and Travis Yacovone at the Suffolk County jail in Yaphank with the news that they would have the honor of holding the American flag at the Nov. 30 game at MetLife Stadium.

“As a sheriff, I want to make sure that not only everyone knows that I'm extremely proud of my staff, but what they did to bring a man home back to his family," Toulon said.

Hever, Higgins and Yacovone, were providing ID cards for seniors at the annual Town of Brookhaven Senior Picnic on Sept. 3 when a woman alerted them that Lenny Muzzillo, 73, was unresponsive and slumped in his chair.

When the officers realized Muzzillo had no pulse, Hever and Higgins began chest compressions while Yacovone called 911.

Higgins, 24, of Mount Sinai, who is also a volunteer firefighter, said he remembered he had “a lot of adrenaline" and his “instincts kicked in."

“I just did what I was trained to do," Higgins said.

Hever and Higgins alternated CPR for seven minutes until an ambulance and paramedics arrived — a considerably long time to do chest compressions, Muzzillo’s sister Diane Summerfold, a former EMT, said.

"I am so blessed that Sean and Travis and Dylan were there," she said in a phone interview. “The whole world needs to know how wonderful these guys are."

Muzzillo, who has special needs and lives with Summerfold, was taken to two hospitals and underwent quadruple bypass surgery.

He had no previous health problems and volunteered with the Town of Brookhaven five days a week, Summerfold said.

On Oct. 7, Sheriff Toulon and the three officers reunited with Muzzillo, who is making a slow yet steady recovery.

Summerfold said she has kept in touch with the officers. Every Monday she texts them with wishes for a good week.

“I think that these three men were put here, put on this earth, to be the angels to my brother," she said.

The officers’ actions moved Toulon to call Castleton, who took little convincing to honor them.

"You can see them running over there to Lenny," Castleton said after watching bodycam footage. "If they would have walked, if they would have taken their time, Lenny wouldn't be here today. How do you not honor somebody like that?"

The Nov. 30 game will recognize about 500 people from hospitals, fire departments and police stations and honor them throughout the game.

Hever, Higgins and Yacovone will be three of about 130 first responders to hold a giant American flag during the national anthem.

Hever, 31, of Commack, and a Jets fan, said he doesn’t do his job for the thanks but was close to tears and “speechless" at the news.

“What we do now is because of this country," Hever said. “And for me personally, that’s probably one of the greatest honors ... holding the flag on the field on that day."

Yacovone, 52, of Manorville, who formerly worked for the NYPD, said while he is also honored to be recognized, he is just happy Muzzillo is all right.

“All this is great, but really, just thank God he's alive and doing well," Yacovone said.