Max Petruzzi was only five years old when his little sister, Mirabella, was born three months premature. At age five, Max didn’t quite understand the severity of Mirabella’s condition, but looking back at this time, a little older, he realized that his family truly endured an emotional trauma. During her NICU stay, Mirabella contracted a very serious septic infection and almost died. It was a blessing to have eventually been able to bring Mirabella home in perfect health.
As a result of Max’s personal experience, at age fourteen he created Mirabella’s Miracle to help other families going through a similar experience. The official 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization provides care packages and meals to families in NICU, in hopes of offering them a little comfort in an uncomfortable and scary time. Since 2014, Mirabella’s Miracle has helped those in North Carolina, New York, and New Jersey.
To generate donations for the care packages, Max began producing music videos, gaining more than 200,000 views on YouTube, numerous news interviews, and internet stardom. While he’s no Backstreet Boy or One Direction member, Max is a miracle worker, positively affecting the stay of many families in the NICU through the charity and funds he raises via music. From Daisha, mom of Amora, 31-weeks-old, “The small provisions are so impactful and nurturing to a family who has a baby in the NICU. All of the snacks, meals, and gifts for the baby and family make it a bit easier to be here.”
While Max has many videos on his YouTube channel under the name Max Petruzzi, including one of his more famous YouTube videos, a “Talking to the Moon” Bruno Mars cover with about 100K views, his goal was never to be famous. Max only wanted to generate funding to help others in need. Most of the videos are meant to fund Mirabella’s Miracle, though some of them were created to assist in hurricane relief and to encourage donations for the Second Harvest Food Bank. Creating and producing music has proved an incredibly unique platform that pays off.
Max is now eighteen-years-old and is making even more strides with the charity now while attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has just started a university club called Mirabella’s Miracle at Carolina that is based on the official 501(c)(3) Mirabella’s Miracle Charity for students to help with delivering care packages and dinners to UNC Children’s Hospital, organizing fundraising events, as well as raising money and awareness through music. Currently Max is working with Savannah Norris, Jake Donofrio, Aidan Cundiff, and Nightsound Studios in Carrboro, North Carolina, to produce an original song written by Savannah Norris. The song, “In Time,” is to be released on iTunes in the upcoming months. It will be performed on campus at a corn hole tournament fundraiser to benefit Mirabella’s Miracle, as well as a few live jam sessions at various popular UNC-CH campus locations to promote campus life and student involvement. More information on “In Time” will be available at MirabellasMiracle.comand on Max’s YouTube Channel under the name Max Petruzzi once released.
Max and everyone involved with the charity are working hard to make a difference in the lives of families in the NICU. You can make a difference, too. Any donations towards the charity are welcome. You can donate directly on MirabellasMiracle.comwhere the charity’s PayPal is linked. Feel free to follow Mirabella’s Miracle on any social media, as well @MirabellasMiracle to keep up with the charity’s influence on communities. Please email mirabellasmiracle@unc.edu with any questions. We hope you enjoy our next project and original song, “In Time” and look forward to using any donations to create more projects and to help comfort more families.
