Dad of Lazar LaPenna, who died while playing baseball: He was a 'special kid'

When it came time to pick his jersey number for every Little League season since he was 4, Lazar LaPenna chose a number that matched his age. For this season, however, he decided he wanted to keep the number nine. 

“He just turned 10, double digits. He was really excited and looked at me and said, ‘Dad, can I stay number nine? I want to be number nine forever,’ ” his father, Gregg LaPenna, told Newsday in a phone interview Monday while fighting back tears. “I guess he got his wish.”

Two days after his 10th birthday, last Wednesday, the fourth-grader at East Elementary School in Long Beach suffered an epileptic seizure after hitting a baseball and running to first base, said his father, who was also his Little League coach.

“The sheer excitement of the hit that he got brought on a seizure, while he was standing on first base,” LaPenna said. “He went into a seizure with a smile on his face and he collapsed on first base and he never came out.”

Attempts to revive Lazar, who had suffered from epilepsy for several years, were unsuccessful and he was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Officials from the Long Beach/Lido Little League gave the family the base that Lazar —  whose name is pronounced laser —  stood on after his hit. 

The family recently celebrated Lazar’s birthday by going on a cruise to Bermuda and got home on April 24. They also were supposed to cut a cake for him after Friday’s game, LaPenna said, but Lazar insisted on having a piece beforehand. 

LaPenna said his son “lived life to the fullest” knowing that it could be cut short at any time because of his condition.

“He was such a deep soul, there was so much about him,” LaPenna said. “He knew his life was limited, but he always spoke about the future. He was a special kid.”

Though Lazar had been diagnosed with the brain disorder that causes recurring, unprovoked seizures at a young age, his passion for sports was never deterred. He loved the Mets and the Jets, and dreamed of one day being a professional football player, even though his condition wouldn’t allow him to participate in contact sports. 

He also admired Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who also was diagnosed with epilepsy at a young age. LaPenna said his son was getting ready to write a letter to Fields.

“Justin Fields inspired him to be a football player,” LaPenna said. 

Lazar was a fan of many New York sports stars, but was ecstatic when the Jets recently drafted University of Cincinnati star Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, LaPenna said.

“He watched the draft, had a countdown, had his football jersey in school,” LaPenna recalled. “He would’ve followed him every second of the way.”

Lazar even posted about the draft pick on his TikTok account. Gerry, 11, said his younger brother’s dream was to get more than 100 followers on TikTok. Lazar’s profile, Cityofjets, has since passed the mark. 

The family, including mother Monique and a second brother, Blaze, is planning a memorial for Lazar at Point Lookout Park on Field 1, the same place he played his final game.