Mother keeps Mineola student’s memory alive

Richard Tedesco

Since Mineola High School student Matthew Sy Hylton died three years ago at age 15 of cardiac arrest, his mother June Hylton has honored his memory with a scholarship fund established in his name and by seeking to build awareness about cardiac problems at local high schools.

Last year, four Mineola High School graduates – in the class that would have included Matthew – received $1,000 college scholarships. 

June said those scholarships will be followed by the presentation of two more $1,000 scholarships, for a boy and a girl, at the high school’s annual sports awards breakfast on June 5.

“We’re keeping Matt’s legacy alive,” she said.

Students who apply for the scholarships are asked to fill out a short questionnaire and write a 350-word essay about themselves. 

Two years ago, Hylton, her husband Tony and other members of her family began a campaign during national cardiac awareness month in October to stress the need for cardiac check-ups for high school students in association with the American Heart Association.

Matthew, who was a football and lacrosse player in high school, died from a condition caused by an arrythmia condition that had gone undetected.

Working with athletic directors at area high schools, June Hylton and her family set up information tables at basketball tournaments and visited several high schools, including Malverne, Mineola and St. Anthony’s.

“Getting the word out is very important,” she said.    

In doing so, Hylton inevitably tells the story of what happened to her son.

“It’s very hard. But if I help prevent people from going through what I’m going through, that’s instilled a mission in me,” Hylton said. “Life is short. We are not promised tomorrow.” 

She said her faith as a Christian and the support of her family has helped her cope with the grief of losing her son. 

She said the interaction she still has with students at Mineola High School who knew Matthew is also a source of comfort.

When June presented the scholarship awards at the athletic awards breakfast last year, she was presented with a mural one of the students had produced in Matthew’s memory with the handprints of the members of what would have been his graduating class on it. The mural hangs in the Mineola High School cafeteria.

She said she regularly encounters schoolmates of Matthew who tell her about their recollections of her son.

“When I see them, my heart warms,” she said.

She said older brothers and sisters of friends of her 12-year-old son, Malcolm, tell him stories about his brother. 

Malcolm will be seeing the mural tribute to his brother on a daily basis when he enters the high school as an eighth grader next year. His younger brother Anthony, nine, will eventually be attending the high school with his older brother.

June said she’s grateful for the support the community has given to the Matthew Sy Hylton Scholarship Fund and hopes for a strong turnout at the annual fundraising Jersey Party to be held on June 29 at O’Carroll’s Recovery Room at 214 Station Plaza in Mineola. 

Donations to the scholarship fund can also be sent to the high school, with checks made out to Mineola High School/MSHSF.

The annual fundraiser, which produces most of the scholarship funds, includes a raffle. Anyone interested in donating items for the raffle can contact June Hylton at 516-554-5053 or Tony Hylton at 718-866-5570.

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