The Marziale Foundation is a 501(c)(c) organization.
The organization supports children, veterans, and athletes through various initiatives. It also highlights a combination of charities and organizations that helped to save Ralph’s life. Our Charities we highlight are deeply personal to Ralph and represent the passion for this foundation. Ralph has made it his mission to give back and Keep Doing Good!
In 2007, Ralph was diagnosed with Scleroderma which is an autoimmune disorder that causes a buildup of scar tissue on the skin and internal organs. Unfortunately this disease attacked his lungs, causing Pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that affects arteries in the heart and lungs. The scarring blocks the lungs’ ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream. The vessels that carry blood from your heart to your lungs become hard and narrow. Your heart must work extra hard to pump the blood through and your heart weakens and can develop failure.
After a 13 year fight and many different treatments, Ralph’s lungs would start to reject the medication and fail. In August of 2020 Ralph was put on a donor list, in September of 2020 Ralph received a double lung transplant.
Ralph’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. His recovery was incredibly difficult, marked by eight months in the hospital and a series of life‑threatening complications. For six months, Ralph relied on a feeding tube due to an autoimmune disorder. He battled sepsis, survived cardiac arrest, endured multiple bouts of COVID and pneumonia, and spent three months on a ventilator. Afterward, he had to relearn how to speak, and due to prolonged immobility, he developed both myopathy and neuropathy.
Though healing has been long and ongoing, Ralph has shown remarkable strength. His body was weakened and fatigued, and recovery from nerve and muscle damage can take months—but he never stopped fighting. Today, Ralph has lost more than 100 pounds, works out daily at a local gym, and is preparing to begin the process of repairing his hips. His goal is clear and inspiring: to return to the ice and play hockey again one day.
