Although only 7 years old, Alex Mattei has persevered more than most people do in a lifetime.
The Waterloo boy suffers from a rare brain disorder, Chiara Malformation with Hydrocephalus. It occurs when the skull is abnormally small or misshapen, and brain tissue extends into the spinal canal.
He will undergo the 24th surgery of his young life Dec. 8 on Long Island — and will remain at the New Hyde Park medical facility through the holidays, as he recuperates.
In an effort to help his family defray the expense of the second-grader’s latest hospital stay, a “Fight for Alex” benefit dinner is planned for this weekend.
The ziti dinner begins at 2 p.m. Sunday at F-n-A’s on Virginia Street. Tickets cost $10 in advance and the same at the door.
Those attending Sunday’s event can enter their names into a variety of raffle baskets. Anyone who bought a commemorative shirt is asked to wear it to the dinner.
