Well Wishers Show Outpouring of Support for Mauriello

UPDATE: Patch has been informed that donations made through CaringBridge.org do not go directly to Nick Mauriello and his family, but to CaringBridge organization. Monetary donations for the family should be given to Hauppauge's athletic trainer David Smith or one of Hauppauge's wrestling coaches. 

Hauppauge residents and wrestling fans are showing and outpouring of support and well wishes for wrestler Nick Mauriello, Jr. and his family.

A personal website for Hauppauge junior Nick Mauriello, Jr. , has received more than 70 messages from well wishers and three donations as of 6:20 p.m. Monday evening. 

The CaringBridge.org website has shared with more than 1,500 visitors the basics of Mauriello's story:  a wrestler diagnosed with Lemierre's syndrome from MRSA, fighting for his life instead of on the mats where he hoped to take a Suffolk County title this past Saturday.   

Messages are signed by his fellow Hauppauge wrestlers and childhood friends to total strangers in upstate New York who have heard Mauriello's story through ongoing press coverage. Sentiments expressed include everything from "stay strong" and "you are special" to more personalized messages.

An afternoon press conference was held at Stony Brook Children's Hospital where Mauriello's father, Nick Sr., addressed the media alongside his son's doctors. Published reports stated the junior's blood cultures came back negative for a third day, a sign that doctors called an improvement.

A hospital spokeswoman confirmed the teen remains sedated and on a ventilator as of Monday evening.