South Plainfield, Old Bridge dual to benefit Marisa Tufaro Foundation
A high school wrestling match will celebrate the life of Marisa Tufaro and raise money for the nonprofit bearing her name.
Thursday’s dual meet between host South Plainfield and Old Bridge will serve as a fundraiser for The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, whose mission is to help pediatric patients and other children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area.
The fifth annual charity event, which has raised nearly $15,000 for the nonprofit over the past four years, will be held at the Anthony J. Cotoia Gymnasium starting at 6 p.m.
Perennial state power South Plainfield (5-1) and resurgent Old Bridge (7-4) are currently ranked No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in the Home News Tribune’s Greater Middlesex Conference Top 10.
An individual Most Valuable Wrestler trophy, courtesy of Ron Mazzola of Prestige Imaging, will be awarded to the top performer from each team at the conclusion of the dual meet. The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s leadership will also make a special presentation to the head coaches of both programs.
Wrestlers ‘understand sacrifice’
Greater Middlesex Conference Executive Director Frank Noppenberger, who serves on The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s board of trustees, praised the Old Bridge and South Plainfield wrestling programs for continuing their tradition of supporting The Marisa Tufaro Foundation.
“This is a great group of guys that understand sacrifice, so to see them stepping up like this is not a surprise to me,” Noppenberger said.
“Wrestlers are a very unique bunch. They always take care of one another, be it their team or an opponent. It’s a very neat fraternity because wrestlers will remain friends with each other for the rest of their lives. What they are doing to honor Marisa and support the foundation is outstanding.”
The Old Bridge school-community is renown throughout Middlesex County and beyond for its abundant support of others in need.
Through their participation in individual events or conference-wide all-star games and activities, members of the high school’s football, swimming, bowling, baseball, and basketball teams have joined Old Bridge’s wrestling program in fundraising for The Marisa Tufaro Foundation.
“Words can’t express our gratitude to the South Plainfield and Old Bridge wrestling programs for continuing this wonderful annual tradition,” said Cyndi Tufaro, Marisa’s mother and executive director of The Marisa Tufaro Foundation.
“We are eternally grateful and honored to pay forward their benevolence. The overwhelming support of these two outstanding school-communities has enabled our nonprofit to assist countless children in need.”
Life lessons
Over the last decade, the South Plainfield wrestling program has aided other causes.
The Tigers hosted a fundraising dual meet against Bergen Catholic for prostate cancer awareness and took part in another fundraising dual meet at Rutgers University against Monroe to assist former Rutgers Prep wrestler Brett Epps in his battle with a life-threatening illness. Additionally, South Plainfield paid tribute to former teammate Sarmad Rizvi, wearing specially designed armbands and T-shirts in honor of the wrestler, who passed away nearly eight years ago.
“While it’s important to be a great wrestler from South Plainfield, it’s more important to be a better person, and that’s what we strive to preach to our kids,” South Plainfield head coach Steve Johnston said.
“Wrestling can only take you so far. These lessons you take and carry with you for the rest of your life. Being able to give back to the community gives the kids a sense of ownership and pride in what they are doing. It shows they are respectful and aware of the people that have helped them and helped the program of South Plainfield and the community. They want to give back.”
State Senator Patrick J. Diegnan Jr., a lifelong South Plainfield resident whose legislative district includes his hometown, praised the Tigers and Knights for making the annual Marisa Tufaro Memorial Dual a resounding success.
“This type of response really proves why Old Bridge and South Plainfield are special places to live,” said Diegnan, who also serves on The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s board of trustees.
“People care about each other and support each other and when there is a need, they do what is right. That’s what community is all about.”
Life that inspired
Marisa Tufaro, who would have graduated last year from Edison High School, was born with hypoplastic left-heart syndrome, a complex cardiac defect which required six open-heart surgeries. Marisa developed two life-threatening conditions that necessitated a heart transplant. The transplant was supposed to extend her life, but tragically cut it short when a postoperative complication developed into a rare form of cancer to which Marisa succumbed in 2017 following a valiant battle. She was just 13 years old.
Despite being hospitalized for more than two years and maintaining hundreds of doctor’s appointments, Marisa, who as an honor roll student in elementary and middle school was involved in multiple extracurricular activities, lived a vibrant life that inspired.
Marisa’s parents, Cyndi and Greg, a former Home News Tribune and Courier News sportswriter, established the foundation to keep alive Marisa’s indomitable spirit and to ensure her legacy could be one of helping others.
Since its inception nearly four and a half years ago, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has already made a profound impact, donating more than $225,000 and spearheading multiple community initiatives to fulfill its mission.
The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has also donated thousands of toys, nonperishable food items, winter jackets, baby supplies and other items upon which it has placed no monetary value.
The foundation has awarded 25 college academic scholarships totaling $21,500 in Marisa’s name to high school seniors.
Recipients of the annual Marisa Tufaro Foundation Greater Middlesex Conference Student-Athlete Scholarship from South Plainfield include graduates Nick Loniewski, Abdul Cokley, Luke Niemeyer, Joseph Heilmann, and Charles Lovett.
Former wrestlers from the Greater Middlesex Conference who have received scholarships from the Marisa Tufaro Foundation or in honor of Marisa include Gabriel Rodrigues of Piscataway, Tristan Palyha of St. Thomas Aquinas, and Alex LaGrippo of Woodbridge.
‘Doing things right’
Despite losing five starters from last year’s undefeated team, including state champion Anthony White, who is now wrestling at Rutgers University, South Plainfield is off to another strong start.
Jeffrey Jacome (fourth in the state at 106 pounds last season), Nicky Campagna, Jake DelVecchio, J.J. Giordano, Andrew Loniewski, Tyler Balent, and Julian Irizarry headline this year’s squad, which The Star Ledger currently ranks No. 13 in New Jersey.
The Tigers are coming off a 35-32 loss to state-ranked North Hunterdon in the prestigious Boresch Duals.
Since its inception in 1961-62, South Plainfield has won 12 state team titles, 17 team sectional crowns, 26 Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament team championships, 29 Red Division banners, and a state record 36 consecutive team district titles.
The Tigers have been nationally ranked seven times since 2006 with their best finish a consensus No. 13 ranking in 2013, according to Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling Insider News Magazine.
Last week, the South Plainfield program recorded its 800th victory with a 67-9 defeat of J.P. Stevens. The victory gave the Tigers an 800-188-10 all-time record for an astounding .810 winning percentage.
“A lot of momentum has been building into all these wins,” said Anthony Ashnault, a 2013 South Plainfield alumnus and New Jersey’s first four-time undefeated state champion who went on to become Rutgers University’s only four-time All-American and career wins leader.
“Starting at 5 or 6 years old and leading into high school, you always picture yourself wrestling for (the South Plainfield) program. It’s a testament to always doing things right and continuing to do things right. The goal is to win and dominate and send more guys to (college) wrestling programs, to continue to develop and build the team at South Plainfield.”
Vastly improved Knights
South Plainfield has lost just one dual meet to a conference opponent over the past 13 seasons.
The Tigers have dominated Old Bridge in recent years, but the vastly improved Knights are expected to give South Plainfield a run in Thursday’s meeting.
Old Bridge’s losses this season are to state-ranked Howell, Raritan, Livingston, and Seton Hall Prep. The quartet owns a combined 27-3 record.
The Knights were shorthanded in their most recent loss, a 37-30 setback to Seton Hall Prep during Saturday’s quad at Livingston.
Earlier in the day, sophomore Logan Roman improved his record to 16-0 with a 7-2 decision at 113 over Livingston’s Aidan Carmody, who is ranked third in the state at 106 pounds.
Despite the success of Roman and teammate Dan Hennessey (165), who spearheads a strong string of wrestlers in the upper weights, Old Bridge’s flagship wrestler remains Tyler Sagi (157). The junior owns a 62-8 career record and won the Central Region title at 138 pounds last season.
A strong schedule, including a fourth-place finish at the Hunterdon Central Invitational, has prepared the Knights well for Thursday’s showdown.
Helping others
Following are some of the ways The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has assisted pediatric patients and children in need.
In honor of Edison High School’s graduating Class of 2021, of which Marisa would have been a part, our nonprofit made 10 separate donations of $2,021 – totaling $20,210 – to organizations who share The Marisa Tufaro Foundation’s mission of helping Middlesex County children in need.
Donated $8,000 through the first annual Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey Greater Middlesex Conference Baseball Coaches Association charity golf outing, of which our nonprofit was the beneficiary, to Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital’s Child Life Program.
Partnered with the Give-Back Initiative to donate gift cards valued at $100 each to 44 Edison Township families in need, helping them purchase food, necessities and presents during the holiday season.
Provided Thanksgiving Day dinners to patients and their families at PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick.
As a way of giving back to the Greater Middlesex Conference, which has been among our nonprofit’s biggest supporters, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation jump-started the league’s fundraising effort to feed county families during the coronavirus pandemic with a $2,500 donation to the Middlesex County Food Organization and Outreach Distribution Services.
Provided funding for a part-time healthcare social worker to assist families of pediatric patients under the care of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School’s Department of Pediatrics’ Division of Pediatric Cardiology.
Partnered with the Colonia High School football team to tackle a Super Bowl-themed community service project that benefited pediatric patients and their families at PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick.
Donated to Women Aware’s PALS Program, which offers counseling for children (ages 3-12) and supportive services including individual and group creative arts therapy counseling sessions to families who have been victimized by domestic violence and abuse.
Sponsored more than 80 South Brunswick High School student-athletes, who donated their time and youthful energy to participate in a charity kickball tournament benefiting an inspirational boy living with an incurable and terminal disease.
Established a fund at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, from which Marisa received outstanding care for her entire life, to provide financial support to families of pediatric patients from Middlesex County in medical crisis by helping to pay medical, personal or incidental expenses.
Partnered with Woodbridge High School through its “Pictures with Santa” event to make an $1,800 financial and gift card donation to Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital in support of the hospital’s virtual toy drive.
Donated a total of $3,000 to PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital and the Lakeview School in honor of the football players and cheerleaders who would have participated in the 27th annual Middlesex-Union County All-Star Game, a charity event which the coronavirus pandemic canceled.
Donated to Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital’s newly established extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) program, a specialized cardiac and respiratory support system that saved Marisa’s life at another medical facility following her heart transplant.
Conducted a boardwalk-themed Family Fun Night for consecutive years at PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital, where the sights, sounds and smells of the Jersey Shore were brought to patients and their families through carnival games, food, prizes, music and more.
Partnered with the Give-Back Initiative to donate $4,000 to Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital in New Brunswick for the purchase of iPads, as well as age and developmentally appropriate toys and games for pediatric patients.
Partnered with Teamwork Unlimited Foundation to treat Special Olympics athletes from the Raritan Bay Area YMCA to a Somerset Patriots game experience.
Partnered with the Saint Joseph High School football program and campus ministry to pack and donate more than 200 “Weekend Snack Bags” for pediatric patients’ families at PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick.
Funded the purchase of uniforms (shirts and shorts) for campers at Kiddie Keep Well Camp, which serves more than 600 underserved Middlesex County children annually.
Partially funded the Make-A-Wish of a Middlesex County girl who was born with a complex cardiac defect to vacation with her family at Walt Disney World.
Provided summer art camp scholarships to Rutgers University’s Zimmerli Art Museum for 13 Middlesex County elementary and middle school students.
Provided college scholarships to 31 high school students whose classroom performance and extracurricular involvement reflected Marisa’s educational success and whose charitable endeavors aligned with our foundation’s mission.
Sponsored a Middlesex County elementary school’s field trip to Special Strides Therapeutic Riding Center in Monroe, where students from self-contained autistic classes were afforded the opportunity to interact with horses and baby goats.
Partnered with Woodbridge High School, the Central Jersey bowling community and the Port Reading Fire Department and EMS to deliver more than 1,000 toys to patients at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital during the holiday season.
As a way of giving back to the Rutgers University baseball program, whose roster features several players that have supported our nonprofit, our foundation matched the Scarlet Knights’ fundraising efforts with a donation to Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital’s child life program.
Assisted multiple families whose children are in medical crisis, providing financial support through the payment of medical and/or personal expenses. Respecting their privacy, the foundation never divulges the names of those individuals or the dollar amount of assistance it provides.
Paid forward the generosity Saint Thomas Aquinas High School has bestowed upon our foundation with a donation to the school community’s annual Ahr Star spaghetti dinner, whose beneficiaries included a 9-year-old boy from Middlesex County with multiple disabilities.
Donated $3,000 to RWJBarnabas Health’s children’s hospitals, paying forward the kindness of football players and coaches who support our nonprofit and in honor of their ability to navigate a pandemic-impacted season.
Partnered with the Edison and J.P. Stevens high school girls basketball teams to collect baby care items to donate to the Edison-based Ozanam Family Shelter.
Partnered with the Middlesex County Association of School Administrators to offer financial relief to parents of children in medical crisis who lost wages while caring for their child at the hospital, who lack health insurance or whose insurance provider won’t cover certain medical expenses.
Funded the purchase of brand-new metal bunk beds for campers at Kiddie Keep Well Camp, which serves more than 600 underserved Middlesex County children annually.
Partnered with Old Bridge and South Brunswick high schools to collect thousands of toys for pediatric patients at Saint Peter’s University Children’s Hospital and Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital.
Partnered with the Kittim N. Sherrod Foundation to provide a youth football and cheerleading organization with a bilingual state-of-the art automated external defibrillator, as well as AED and cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for adult members of the organization.
Supported instruction and supplies for an art therapy program at Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital, to which our foundation also provided funds for infant mobiles and toy cars staff use to transport children to the operating room for surgery.
Provided money for equipment and supplies for students with disabilities who utilize the Lakeview School’s newly constructed aquatics center.
Partnered with Teamwork Unlimited Foundation to provide medical alert bracelets to children with autism and pediatric patients with chronic illness who receive outstanding care from Children’s Specialized Hospital, which annually serves more than 34,000 children statewide.
Partially funded the Make-A-Wish of a Middlesex County boy who is winning a battle with high-risk neuroblastoma to vacation with his family at Walt Disney World.
Provided physical therapy at Special Strides Therapeutic Riding Center and Project Walk for Middlesex County children whose families do not have health insurance or whose families’ health insurer does not cover the cost of the physical therapy.
Partnered with Edison High School and the Chamberlain College of Nursing for two consecutive years to raise money and collect nonperishable food items to benefit Middlesex County children and their families through Hands of Hope via our foundation’s participation in the Race to Outrun Hunger.
Provided new iPads and gaming system accessories (Xbox and PS4 games, controllers, chargers) for adolescent patients at Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital.
Partnered with Woodbridge High School and the Central Jersey bowling community to deliver hundreds of toys to patients at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, where Marisa underwent a successful heart transplant.
Made a donation in recognition of Piscataway’s Conackamack Middle School, which honored Marisa during its annual Turkey Trot, to the township’s FISH Hospitality Program, which provides shelter, meals, clothing and other services to homeless families in Middlesex County.
Provided James Monroe Elementary School students with food items to fill a hundred “Weekend Snack Bags” for pediatric patients’ families.
Donated more than $2,500 worth of ShopRite, Target and Walmart gift cards to dozens of Middlesex County families in need, helping parents purchase food, necessities and presents for their children during the holiday season.
In honor of the players and coaches who participated in the Soccer for a Cause Charity Festival, our nonprofit made a $1,000 donation to REPLENISH, a regional food bank serving Middlesex County residents including an estimated 30,000 children.
Provided meals and goods for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House of Central Jersey.
Partnered with Middlesex High School to conduct a coat drive for Middlesex County children.
Provided gift cards for pediatric patients and their families.
Email: amendlowitz@njpressmedia.com
Andy Mendlowitz is a sports reporter for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to local news throughout Central Jersey, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.