Long Island football captain lost his dad, grandfather, nearly his mom — now up for Giants’ award

At 17, Dominick Lord has already lost his dad and a grandfather, and nearly lost his mother to breast cancer. The Hewlett football team captain has had a front-row seat to what it means to fight — and survive.

And through it all, he has kept showing up — with a smile — for school, for practice and for the people who count him.

Now the Hewlett-Woodmere schools community wants the rest of Long Island to know it.

Lord, a senior and offensive tackle/defensive end for Hewlett, has been named a nominee for the 2026 Heart of a Giant Award, presented annually by the New York Giants and Hospital for Special Surgery.

The award recognizes high school football players who show courage, leadership and character in the classroom, in the community and on the field.

The nomination reflects what Lord has built beyond the football field.

Rather than let personal loss take over, he channeled it into his work ethic, leaning on football as an outlet when things got hard at home, according to his nomination bio.

Lord is a three-sport student-athlete who juggles athletics with AP and college-level coursework. Throughout high school, he has maintained his place on Hewlett’s High Honor Roll. Additionally, he tutors classmates as a peer tutor and volunteers at his local library, church and school events.

On the field, Lord holds teammates accountable and pushes the “better than yesterday” standard he expects of himself. Off it, he’s stepped into a father-figure role for his two younger brothers.

_{Top: Domick Lord (USA Football) and Hewlett football homecoming celebration in 2025 (Facebook/Hewlett-Woodmere schools).}