When the all-star hockey players hit the ice for the third edition of the Asbury Park Press All-Star Hockey Classic, they’ll do so with a token of remembrance stitched on their jerseys, just above the heart.
Etched atop a red ribbon and the Avon Pond shield will be the initials “MT,” a small tribute to Marisa Tufaro – a 13-year old Middlesex County girl who lost a valiant battle with Stage IV cancer in January – in commemoration of the immense impact she left on those who knew her.
The red ribbon serves to raise awareness for congenital heart disease and symbolizes the complex cardiac defect Marisa was born with, as well as the life-threatening comorbidities and six open-heart surgeries she braved.
The placement of the patch – above the players’ hearts – is also significant, as it’s where her parents, Greg and Cyndi Tufaro, hope Marisa’s memory will survive.
You can read the rest of Asbury Park Press sportswriter Chris Rotolo’s story here