Jack Orlando beat cancer, then earned All-County football honors

MacArthur senior lineman Jack Orlando was understandably nervous last week when the Nassau All-County football team was about to be announced.

Given what he had been through over the last year, finding out he had achieved All-County honors was special in so many ways. It was a goal he had established for himself even before he stepped through the doors at the Levittown high school four years ago.

“I was so excited,” said Orlando. “That had been the goal since I was in eighth grade…I want to be on varsity. I want to be All-County. That would be a good close to my career. To get it now because of what happened last year is just a great way to come out. It’s just amazing.”

Something was wrong

When the 2023 season began, something was clearly wrong with Jack Orlando.

He was sick and seemed to be tired all the time. It led to him having, by his standards, a subpar year. But he did the best he could and helped the Generals get to the playoffs. But it was the night before MacArthur’s 2023 regular season finale against Herricks when the Orlando family began to find out what was wrong with Jack.

His leg was larger than normal and his ankle was swollen, so his parents took him to urgent care. They initially thought it was a kidney problem. Then Jack was taken to the hospital.

The next morning at Cohen’s Children’s Hospital, Jack was diagnosed with Leukemia. In that moment, he thought first about football, and whether he’d every get to play again.

“I wasn’t really worried about life-threatening stuff,” said Orlando. “I didn’t think like, ‘Oh, I’m going to die.’ My biggest concern was not being able to come back because the season I had (last season) wasn’t that good.

“I didn’t want my career to be defined as, ‘I can’t play because I’m sick.'”

Jack watched the Generals’ regular season finale against Herricks in New Hyde Park and the season-ending playoff loss to Manhasset in a hospital room with his family. 

That was not easy for a young man who lived in the gym and gave his heart and soul to playing football.

“Jack was devastated,” said his father, Joe Orlando. “When they lost, he felt like he let his brothers down and that if he played, they could have won.”

While there was shock about the diagnosis and sadness about not be able to play football, Jack’s story was only getting started.

Jack Strong 59

When the community learned of Jack’s diagnosis, there was an outpouring of support from so many people in the towns that make up the Levittown School District.

“JACK STRONG 59” t-shirts were made to help raise money for the family to cover medical costs and the players wore “59” stickers on their helmets for the playoff game. When the season was over, the Generals visited Jack at the hospital, standing downstairs in a plaza area with Jack looking down from his room. 

“It was definitely cool,” he said. “I definitely did not expect all of the stuff that happened. It was a little overwhelming.”

Jack had the support of his family and friends and his road to recovery was well underway. 

Quick progress

In the first few days that Jack was in the hospital, the doctors presented an optimistic prognosis. After addressing the Leukemia immediatey and giving Jack medicine over the ensuing couple of days, the news was getting better.

“[The doctors] were like, you’re going to be able to make a full recovery,” said Orlando.

As Jack showed tremendous improvement, the day finally came when he was able to come home from the hospital and then return to school at MacArthur. 

“We knew it was the start of our new normal and an uphill climb,” said his mother, Marie Orlando. “Jack was so fiercely determined and we all got locked in on the next steps of his recovery.”

While returning home after several weeks in Pediatric Oncology was a positive step, there was still another matter to take care of — and that was getting back into shape.

After all the hard work in the gym, it was back to square one.

“It was very frustrating,” Jack said.  “I was already like three steps behind everybody because my weight was much lower than usual. I lost all my progress from gym that I had made the last two years. Mentally it was very frustrating because I knew I was going to have to do months and months of work just to come back to what I was.”

Jack worked his tail off to get back into playing shape. He still had plenty of work to do, but when spring arrived, he was ready to roll.

But not just yet for football.

Back on the field, sort of

As the winter turned to spring, Jack Orlando could taste his return to football, which was still a few months away.

Jack doesn’t consider himself a lacrosse player, but he did play in tenth grade because he felt that it would be something fun to do with his friends. And it was certainly something to keep him busy and in shape in the spring.

As he continued his recovery, Jack was back on the lacrosse team as a junior.

There was one huge takeaway from the experience.

“One thing that lacrosse did show me was that I could run,” said Orlando. “I didn’t have the same breathing ability when I had cancer because I had no blood and it was tiring. Being able to run was a really good sign for me and made me feel pretty good about the football season.”

After lacrosse season ended, Jack Orlando completed his junior year at MacArthur, a year that included pain, illness, disappointment and recovery.

Now, it was time to get back to business.

An emotional return

As the summer began, Jack had one goal, and that was to step back onto the football field as a General when training camp began in August.

Mission accomplished.

“It was a great feeling,” he said. “I was ready, had a good weight and I was in shape and all my friends were there. It was definitely not weird. It was a good feeling walking on that field ready to play with my health.”

And when the season began on Sept. 15 against Mepham, there was number 59, voted a team captain by his teammates, running onto the field mere months after being diagnosed with Leukemia.

“I was definitely locked into the game,” said Orlando. “I was determined to go and just take care of business. I took a moment every now and then to be like, oh wow I’m back doing what I want to do.”

MacArthur’s season ended with a loss to Mepham in the opening round of the playoffs. While the loss certainly stings, Orlando’s recovery from Leukemia and his return to football should be reason enough for a championship celebration.

Jack didn’t let Leukemia derail his football dreams, and he also had plenty of help along the way — including from his parents.

“They’ve been very supportive,” said Jack. “I’m sure it wasn’t easy on them. They were right there next to me for the whole entire time.”

“To watch him rebuild his body and his confidence was something out of a Rocky movie,” said his father, Joe. “It’s just remarkable. But he’s a remarkable young man.”

Not only did Jack inspire his parents, family, friends and teammates, but also from his coaches and everyone in Generals Nation.

“Not only did Jack beat Leukemia and play football again, but he had the best football season of his life,” said MacArthur’s head coach, Bobby Fehrenbach. “It’s incredible what one can accomplish when you put your mind to something and persevere through a particular hardship.”

While his football career at MacArthur has come to an end, Jack still has one more game to go wearing a Generals helmet.

Much to be thankful for

Not only did Jack Orlando make an incredible recovery from Leukemia, return to the football field, help his high school make the playoffs and capture All-County honors, but he was also selected to play in the Nassau County Senior Bowl on Thanksgiving Morning at the Mitchel Athletic Complex in Uniondale.

Jack will be joined by some of the best seniors in Nassau County for one final high school game and a celebration of four years of hard work.

“It will definitely mean a lot because I’ve already done the work and now it’s just a game to go and celebrate with the kids that were deserving of that honor,” he said. “Some of my friends from the other conferences are going to be there which is cool to play with because I’ve never been able to do that.”

Not only will the Nassau County Senior Bowl mark the end of Jack’s high school career, but it very well could be the last football game he ever plays.

Jack is going to college, but doesn’t think he will play football again.

“I was in the recruiting process and I did visit a lot of colleges and football camps but I do think now I don’t really want to continue my football career,” said Jack, who plans to study physical therapy at the college he chooses. “I just think I’m done with it and I think it’s good to end with MacArthur.”

“It’s really inspiring to see Jack and how he is so determined,” said his mom, Marie. “His drive and focus to get back to his peak was incredible and to see him hit so many goals and achievements makes us so proud but also thankful.” 

— all photos come courtesy of the Orlando family