Frankie Pitti, an Inspirational Teen

The Northport-East Northport School District announced the loss of one of its most inspirational students, Frankie Pitti, who died Monday after battling a health syndrome.

Pitti’s mother, Jen Howard, is a teaching assistant at Ocean Avenue Elementary School.

“Frankie will forever be remembered for his unwavering courage and endearing smile,” Superintendent Marylou McDermott said in a district statement.

Despite his life-long health battles, Pitti achieved feats that even adults in good health have not accomplished. One of those triumphs included completing a 10-kilometer race at 14 years old in 2011. He ran for Companions in Courage, a non-profit foundation that builds interactive playrooms in hospitals throughout the United States. The Foundation said that Pitti spent much of his time at its Lion's Den room located at Cohen Children's Medical Center at LIJ Medical Center, where he often received treatments.

“All of us at CIC Foundation mourn the loss of one of the most heroic members of Team Courage. Frankie Pitti was an inspiration to many throughout his short life,” Jim Johnson, Executive Director of the non-profit, wrote on the Foundation’s Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to the Frankie Pitti Memorial, which can be found here: https://www.cic16.org/donate.aspx?eid=24