E-Boland & Gang Green

Stephen the Intern was out with some Jets on Wednesday and filed this heart-warmer:

By Stephen Haynes

Eighteen Jets rookies stopped by the Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park Wednesday in hopes of uplifting the families of sick children, but for one Jet, the visit became much more than a perfunctory pop-in.

Mike DeVito, an undrafted defensive end, had to cut the smiling and signing session short when he ran into his cousin, Karen, who was a resident at the House. Karen's 10-month-old son, Benedetto, was born prematurely and was admitted to neighboring Schneider Children's Hospital and Karen checked into the House at 3 a.m. on Wednesday. After talking with his cousin, whom RMH workers described as "exhausted,” DeVito rushed over to see his younger cousin.

The hospital wouldn't divulge the baby's condition and the DeVitos couldn't be reached for comment.

The DeVito family is from Massachusetts and according to Karen Calma, the House manager, Karen was given a room because she had nowhere else to stay. She also had no idea her cousin was scheduled to make an appearance there.

The Ronald McDonald House, which opened in 1986, serves as temporary lodging for the families of ill children who are admitted to area hospitals, and others who come to America seeking medical aid for their kids but have no place to live. Families are charged $25 per night, but the fee is waved if they're unable to pay.

According to Robert Weitzner, the executive director of the Ronald McDonald House, the Jets have been working with the House since its inception and had a room dedicated to them after a $150,000 donation in 2004. Former Jets defensive back Bobby Jackson serves on the board of directors.

The 17 players who remained were able to bring a rare smile to the face of Muhammed Khan, a 2-year-old who has a heart ailment.

Khan and his mother, Noureen, flew from Pakistan this month to have open-heart surgery at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. Because she has no family in the United States, Noureen was referred to the Ronald McDonald House, which is (about a 90-minute drive from the hospital. The visit from the Jets, she said, was a welcome sight in what has been a difficult period.

"It was special. At first was a little shy about seeing so many big people, but he got familiar with [the players] and they were all so nice to him,” the mother said. "They took pictures and let him play with a football. He was playing so much with the guys that I got worried his sutures might .”

Muhammed, who was diagnosed last year with Tetralogy of Fallot disease -- a condition in which the heart has four abnormalities -- had the operation on June 5 and was discharged from Montefiore on Tuesday. The medical staff there said that he was doing fine. He spent the week with his mom and will head back to Pakistan on Saturday with a smile, memories and autographed memorabilia.

Newsday tried to interview the taciturn toddler, but he stuck his finger in his ears before running off and diving into a couch. Touchdown.