Free student cardiac screening May 3 a legacy of Holmdel scholar athlete
April 25, 2025 at 3:37 p.m.
Pat Trott could never have envisioned her seemingly healthy high school grad’s tragedy in 2011 and its resulting impact. But Nicole Trott’s memory lives on in the foundation bearing her name and the lives of students her experience has helped to improve – and perhaps even save.
Shedding light on the importance of early detection of heart issues, St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, is partnering with the nonprofit Nicole’s Heart Foundation to offer free cardiac screenings for elementary and high school students and athletes from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. May 3 on the school campus at 540-A Line Road.
Electrocardiograms will be performed and evaluated by six pediatric cardiologists from Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health.
Richard Lamberson, SJVHS assistant principal, said the school has been involved with NHF from the beginning. He started running point on the event when he was then athletic director and has continued every year since.
“It’s completely free, no insurance needed,” he explained, noting that parents only need to call his office to make an appointment and fill out forms. “The appointment itself doesn’t take long at all – maybe five to 10 minutes for the test … you’re basically in and out in half an hour.” As many as 140 students can be accommodated for the morning.
“There’s no such thing as too much information when it comes to your child,” Lamberson noted of the screenings and the cardiac information they can reveal. “We’re just happy we’re able to help.”
One in 300,000
Begun by Nicole’s family, members of St. Ambrose Parish, Old Bridge, the NHF’s goal is simple – to prevent sudden cardiac arrests in students and save at least one life from Nicole’s fate.
Fourteen years ago, the St. John Vianney grad was a multi-sport athlete and National Honor Student who volunteered at a local animal shelter and was planning to become a veterinarian.
“She was the picture of health” her mother recalled. “She was one of those kids who was always eager to learn something … she was a varsity cheerleader and on the varsity track team at SJV and did club gymnastics since she was 5 years old.”
That all changed three weeks after her high school graduation, when Nicole collapsed in sudden cardiac arrest – the result of an undiagnosed congenital heart defect called Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery (ALCAPA).
Nicole Trott. Courtesy photo “It’s very hard to tell when you have someone who is constantly working out and training,” Trott said of her daughter’s asymptomatic presentation beforehand. “She was a very active kid … she went for an athletic physical every year.”
Pediatric screening for ALCAPA is uncommon without a family history of heart issues. It’s a birth defect that only 10% of infants survive past their first year of life, and it only occurs in one out of every 300,000 births. The left coronary artery, which carries blood to the heart muscle, begins from the pulmonary artery instead of the aorta. Later, patients experience coronary steal, in which the malfunctioning heart cannot receive enough oxygen.
“The doctors said the right side of her heart developed collateral blood vessels, which allowed the left side to function all those years,” Trott said. “We never had any idea.”
Lifesaving Mission
The Trott family – her mother; her father, Dave; and her siblings: Christopher, now 34; and twins Derek and Michelle, now 29 – knew they had to find a fitting response.
Nicole’s Heart Foundation was formed by a group of friends and family “who were in such shock by her passing,” Trott said. “They wanted to do something for her and suggested a scholarship program. I said, ‘Let’s do something further – let’s help do something for someone else to avoid this tragedy.’”
Having heard about other cardiac screenings, Trott decided to look into what was involved. She attended a large screening with another foundation member and spoke to one of the local doctors who was assisting.
“I asked if he would be interested in doing something, and shared Nicole’s story,” she continued. “He immediately said, ‘call my office Monday, we’re going to do something about this.’”
That something turned into the same group of doctors volunteering their time and equipment throughout the year to conduct cardiac screenings in multiple school locations. And ALCAPA is not the only condition the screenings detect; EKG readings can pick up multiple cardiac infirmities, including myocarditis and cardiomyopathy.
“So many schools have participated,” Trott recalled, naming Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, and St. Rose High School, Belmar, among the schools hosting screenings. “The doctors bring four techs and four EKG machines, and they do everything at no charge. We organize and collaborate, but they come with everything; that’s the beauty of our screenings, that they’re done in schools.”
Community Benefit
In addition to heart screenings, NHF has raised funds to assist student athletes and provide cardiac medical equipment to organizations in need. Having utilized car washes and pancake breakfasts in the past, the foundation moved to an annual 5K Run/Walk in 2017. The next one is set for June 22 at 9 a.m. in Thompson Grove Park, Lincroft.
“We’re a small foundation – we only get about 135-150 runners – but it’s more about awareness and bringing people together to follow Nicole’s legacy,” Trott said.
The funds raised provide two $3,000 college scholarships annually to graduating seniors – one for an SJV grad, and one from another local high school. Qualifying applicants must be, like Nicole, a member of the National Honor Society and a varsity high school athlete and participate in community service.
The foundation also has purchased AEDs for schools and churches.
“An AED costs over $2,000,” Trott said of the equipment and setup costs. “Nicole’s Heart Foundation has donated eight AEDs and awarded over $37,000 in scholarships.”
“I wish Nicole were here doing this, instead of being the poster child,” Trott said of her daughter. “That’s one of the reasons we’re doing this – we don’t want other families to go through this.”
Nevertheless, Trott believes her daughter would be proud to know that people still gather and remember her, “and that her legacy is [help give] other young students a full life.”
For questions or to register your student for a free cardiac screening, contact Lamberson by phone or email at the high school. To register for the 5K Walk/Run, visit https://www.nicolesheart.com/services1. For more about Nicole’s Heart Foundation, visit https://www.nicolesheart.com/ or email [email protected].
Related Stories
Monday, May 12, 2025
E-Editions
Events
Pat Trott could never have envisioned her seemingly healthy high school grad’s tragedy in 2011 and its resulting impact. But Nicole Trott’s memory lives on in the foundation bearing her name and the lives of students her experience has helped to improve – and perhaps even save.
Shedding light on the importance of early detection of heart issues, St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel, is partnering with the nonprofit Nicole’s Heart Foundation to offer free cardiac screenings for elementary and high school students and athletes from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. May 3 on the school campus at 540-A Line Road.
Electrocardiograms will be performed and evaluated by six pediatric cardiologists from Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health.
Richard Lamberson, SJVHS assistant principal, said the school has been involved with NHF from the beginning. He started running point on the event when he was then athletic director and has continued every year since.
“It’s completely free, no insurance needed,” he explained, noting that parents only need to call his office to make an appointment and fill out forms. “The appointment itself doesn’t take long at all – maybe five to 10 minutes for the test … you’re basically in and out in half an hour.” As many as 140 students can be accommodated for the morning.
“There’s no such thing as too much information when it comes to your child,” Lamberson noted of the screenings and the cardiac information they can reveal. “We’re just happy we’re able to help.”
One in 300,000
Begun by Nicole’s family, members of St. Ambrose Parish, Old Bridge, the NHF’s goal is simple – to prevent sudden cardiac arrests in students and save at least one life from Nicole’s fate.
Fourteen years ago, the St. John Vianney grad was a multi-sport athlete and National Honor Student who volunteered at a local animal shelter and was planning to become a veterinarian.
“She was the picture of health” her mother recalled. “She was one of those kids who was always eager to learn something … she was a varsity cheerleader and on the varsity track team at SJV and did club gymnastics since she was 5 years old.”
That all changed three weeks after her high school graduation, when Nicole collapsed in sudden cardiac arrest – the result of an undiagnosed congenital heart defect called Anomalous Left Coronary Artery from the Pulmonary Artery (ALCAPA).
Nicole Trott. Courtesy photo “It’s very hard to tell when you have someone who is constantly working out and training,” Trott said of her daughter’s asymptomatic presentation beforehand. “She was a very active kid … she went for an athletic physical every year.”
Pediatric screening for ALCAPA is uncommon without a family history of heart issues. It’s a birth defect that only 10% of infants survive past their first year of life, and it only occurs in one out of every 300,000 births. The left coronary artery, which carries blood to the heart muscle, begins from the pulmonary artery instead of the aorta. Later, patients experience coronary steal, in which the malfunctioning heart cannot receive enough oxygen.
“The doctors said the right side of her heart developed collateral blood vessels, which allowed the left side to function all those years,” Trott said. “We never had any idea.”
Lifesaving Mission
The Trott family – her mother; her father, Dave; and her siblings: Christopher, now 34; and twins Derek and Michelle, now 29 – knew they had to find a fitting response.
Nicole’s Heart Foundation was formed by a group of friends and family “who were in such shock by her passing,” Trott said. “They wanted to do something for her and suggested a scholarship program. I said, ‘Let’s do something further – let’s help do something for someone else to avoid this tragedy.’”
Having heard about other cardiac screenings, Trott decided to look into what was involved. She attended a large screening with another foundation member and spoke to one of the local doctors who was assisting.
“I asked if he would be interested in doing something, and shared Nicole’s story,” she continued. “He immediately said, ‘call my office Monday, we’re going to do something about this.’”
That something turned into the same group of doctors volunteering their time and equipment throughout the year to conduct cardiac screenings in multiple school locations. And ALCAPA is not the only condition the screenings detect; EKG readings can pick up multiple cardiac infirmities, including myocarditis and cardiomyopathy.
“So many schools have participated,” Trott recalled, naming Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft, and St. Rose High School, Belmar, among the schools hosting screenings. “The doctors bring four techs and four EKG machines, and they do everything at no charge. We organize and collaborate, but they come with everything; that’s the beauty of our screenings, that they’re done in schools.”
Community Benefit
In addition to heart screenings, NHF has raised funds to assist student athletes and provide cardiac medical equipment to organizations in need. Having utilized car washes and pancake breakfasts in the past, the foundation moved to an annual 5K Run/Walk in 2017. The next one is set for June 22 at 9 a.m. in Thompson Grove Park, Lincroft.
“We’re a small foundation – we only get about 135-150 runners – but it’s more about awareness and bringing people together to follow Nicole’s legacy,” Trott said.
The funds raised provide two $3,000 college scholarships annually to graduating seniors – one for an SJV grad, and one from another local high school. Qualifying applicants must be, like Nicole, a member of the National Honor Society and a varsity high school athlete and participate in community service.
The foundation also has purchased AEDs for schools and churches.
“An AED costs over $2,000,” Trott said of the equipment and setup costs. “Nicole’s Heart Foundation has donated eight AEDs and awarded over $37,000 in scholarships.”
“I wish Nicole were here doing this, instead of being the poster child,” Trott said of her daughter. “That’s one of the reasons we’re doing this – we don’t want other families to go through this.”
Nevertheless, Trott believes her daughter would be proud to know that people still gather and remember her, “and that her legacy is [help give] other young students a full life.”
For questions or to register your student for a free cardiac screening, contact Lamberson by phone or email at the high school. To register for the 5K Walk/Run, visit https://www.nicolesheart.com/services1. For more about Nicole’s Heart Foundation, visit https://www.nicolesheart.com/ or email [email protected].