About Team Massimo Warriors:

Team Massimo Warriors was founded in 2019 by Massimo’s parents, Maureen and Frank Cherichella, as their son, Massimo, was born prematurely and has endured many surgeries since birth. When Massimo was born, he was 23 weeks, weighing 1 pound 6 ounces, and spent 4.5 months in the NICU undergoing his first of many surgeries. During that time, a blood clot traveled down his right leg, and he developed bone infection on that right leg. The infection was treated but the growth plates on the right leg were affected and his toes self-amputated. He was discharged at just about 5 pounds.

Team Massimo Warriors is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping local families with children who have serious medical needs. Our mission is to raise funds to support and uplift others by assisting families, supporting local volunteer organizations, and providing scholarships to deserving students. By paying it forward, we strive to create a lasting impact.

In 2025, our annual Golf Outing welcomed over 200 attendees from Sussex, Morris, and Somerset Counties. Over the past seven years, our outings have raised more than $50,000 to support Team Massimo Warriors. In addition to supporting these families, in 2025, we proudly awarded the JoAnn B. Poppe “Roots and Wings” scholarship to 2 graduating high school seniors to assist in their college careers towards degrees in special education or child psychology.

Our Mission

Our hope and goal through our foundation is to raise money to give back and pay it forward by helping families of children with serious medical needs, supporting local volunteer organizations, and providing scholarships.

Massimo’s Journey:

Over the past 14 years, Massimo’s family has traveled across the country in search of pediatric orthopedic solutions that would avoid amputation. Since 2019, Massimo has undergone limb-lengthening treatment at Paley Orthopedic & Spine Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida. In 2025, he completed his eighth surgery, bringing his total to four limb-lengthening surgeries and 20 cm gained in his right leg.

Now almost 14 years old, Massimo is a determined, passionate young man who continues to thrive—enjoying sports and activities alongside his peers. He wears a running blade prosthetic to compensate for limb discrepancy and missing toes. As you can imagine, ongoing surgeries, physical therapy, prosthetics, and travel expenses add up quickly.