Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation receives $5K donation
A Wading River foundation honoring a high school football star received a $5,000 donation after one of his former teammates nominated the organization for the award.
The Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation was awarded the money Jan. 22 by Forte Construction Corp. after Mike Ingemi, a fifth-year electrical apprentice with TAP Electric, chose it for the company’s annual Staff Picked Charity Contest.
Thomas Cutinella, Mr. Ingemi’s childhood friend and teammate at Shoreham-Wading River High School, died at age 16 during a football game in 2014.
“Thomas was a very good friend of mine in high school, and I was lucky enough to have played football by his side,” Mr. Ingemi said. “Even though Thomas tragically passed during one of our games, he still was able to impact the lives of others through organ donation. Thomas’ story and the impact of that day changed my life and many others.”
The foundation preserves Thomas’ legacy of kindness, leadership and selflessness while also advocating for safer football practices and showing the importance of organ donation. Thomas’ family donated his heart, both kidneys, liver, pancreas, both corneas, numerous bones, skin and tissue to people in need.
Among the recipients was Karen Crowell, then 21, who received Thomas’ heart in October 2014. The transplant saved her life, and she went on to marry and become a mother in 2022. The Cutinella and Crowell families remain close, with the Cutinellas attending Ms. Crowell’s wedding and meeting her daughter, as the Riverhead News-Review previously reported.
Since 2014, the Thomas Cutinella Memorial Foundation has awarded scholarships to local students and others from across the country. The one-time scholarships, which range from $500 to $2,500, are designed to help recipients further their education. Seven scholarships were given out in 2025.
“We started this foundation because it’s really important to us that Thomas’ legacy never fades,” said Kelli Cutinella, Thomas’ mother and the foundation’s president. “So, to hear Mikey still thinks about Tommy in such a way and would use this opportunity with Forte Construction to share Tommy’s legacy speaks volumes.”
The $5,000 donation to the foundation will be used to fund scholarship opportunities and further the organization’s mission.
“What makes our philanthropic efforts especially meaningful is that they are driven by our employees,” said Athena Pappas, the director of philanthropy for Islandia-based Forte Construction. “We trust them to bring forward the causes that matter most to them — causes that reflect their values, their experiences, and their desire to make a difference. When we support those causes, we’re not just donating funds, we’re amplifying passion, empathy, and leadership.”
