West Deer boy featured in 'Superheroes' calendar

Seven-year-old Marco Mangieri of West Deer was treated like a star during a red carpet reveal of his photo included in a 2022 calendar by local nonprofit Superheroes Believe in Miracles.

Dressed as Spiderman, Marco is one of 12 children featured in the group’s calendar. The youngster was diagnosed as a toddler with acute lymphoblastic leukemia but has since rung the bell at UPMC Children’s Hospital to signify his treatments are completed.

“He was in absolute awe to see himself perched on the edge of building with webs coming out of his hands,” Marco’s mom, Katie, said. “We were all starstruck.”

Marco was so excited, she said, that he took the calendar to school the next day to share with his first grade class.

“That night he told me he thinks a little girl likes him,” she said. “Marco said, ‘Ya Mum, she thinks I’m Spiderman and I am not going to tell her I’m not!’”

Superheroes Believe in Miracles strives to support and empower children facing illness or limitation so they can tap their inner strength. Volunteers conduct fundraisers throughout the year and send birthday packages with small gifts to about 180 children every month.

The group rolled out the red carpet at the Mangieri home along Ashley Road to unveil his glammed-up photo that will appear in the 2022 calendar.

“We knew right away that this would be something Marco enjoyed to be part of,” Mangieri said.

Diagnosed at age 2 ½, superheroes were something the family used to help him relate to his illness.

“We never used the word cancer but rather told him he had bad guys in his blood and he needed special medicine to fight them,” Mangieri said. “So he’s been fighting them ever since.

“The photo shoot day was incredible.”

Superheroes Believe in Miracles was founded in 2013 by Harrison resident Amy Faltot after her now-9-year-old son, Anderson, was born with an undeveloped digestive tract. He has since outgrown any effects.

“We were in Children’s Hospital for three months and it was a really rough patch,” Faltot said. “I saw so many kids battling the biggest things — adults would’ve curled up at these things — and the kids were still smiling and laughing. They were heroes.”

Faltot said the memories lingered with her until she found a way to honor the children by founding the non-profit.

“The sole purpose of our group is to highlight these kids,” she said.

More than 15,000 birthday packages have been sent out since the group’s inception to children across the country.

The calendar has become Faltot’s passion project.

“This is my favorite thing that I do,” she said. “We just want to highlight these kids and make them feel super special.”

Other local children included in next year’s calendar include:

• Kellan Conroy, 9, of Brackenridge, as The Beast

• Isaiah Barton, 11, of Sarver, as The Hulk

• Austin Lasher, 5, of Lower Burrell, as Iron Man

• Gus Gold, 4, of Natrona Heights, as Gecko from PJ Masks.

Faltot said local photographers donate their time to capture shots for the calendar, which is created for free by Pittsburgh-based design studio, ocreations.

“In the past, our superheroes were celebrated at a red-carpet reveal party but this year we could not safely gather so the red carpet came to the kids,” Faltot said.

Each of the children was feted with a roving “Hollywood treatment” and a calendar reveal with family and friends.

“So often, these kids don’t get to celebrate how unique they are,” Faltot said. “They are full of resilience and everyone should know how amazing they are.”

Marco’s mom said he was unaware of the celebration but the moment he opened the door, his eyes lit up.

“Even our teenagers were impressed,” she said. “Marco was young when he was diagnosed and he doesn’t remember a lot of what he went through and we are grateful for that.

“Being part of the Superhero calendar is an example of the good that comes out of the bad. That is what we want him to remember.”

Calendars cost $10 and are available at superheroesbelieveinmiracles.com.