A prayer event is taking place today for a Ripon teen battling brain cancer.

Mason Ferrulli, 13, has been dealing with cancer for four years. Recently doctors found three “very aggressive” new tumors on his spine as well as spotted one on a brain scan. Given the seriousness of the spine tumors surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Phil Waterford and a team of prayer warriors are hosting a prayer event on today at 5 p.m. at Ripon Fit Nutrition/Sheboba’s next-door to the police station at 467 N Wilma Ave in Ripon.

“We need your prayers now more than ever.” said Monica Ferrulli, Mason’s mon. “Mason is tired and so are we. This is too much for one kid to handle and we need a miracle because I refuse to lose my child.”

Waterford expects at least 100 people will be  in attendance, practicing social distancing.

They will be live on Facebook and Instagram through Phil Waterford’s page with special guests including MC Hammer and NBA Superstars Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.

Mason and his family will be in attendance.

Organizers have secured a DJ for music and a few special gifts. Everyone in attendance will get a free drink/treat at any of the two businesses that are located next-door to each other complements of Phil Waterford’s Manteca Ford and his team.

Given Mason’s surgeries are very expensive, a family friend, Shelly Vieira, has established a go fund me account in an effort to raise $75,000.

Waterford initially found out about Mason’s medical condition while getting a healthy drink at Ripon Fit Nutrition. Vieira was asking the owner of Ripon Fit Nutrition if she could hang a fund raising poster for Mason. From that day forward Waterford said he embraced Mason in his thoughts and prayers on a daily basis.

Waterford received a phone call earlier this summer from Mason Ferrulli’s mom, Monica, as Mason was set to graduate from eighth grade. They wanted Waterford to share the occasion at a gathering at their home afterwards.

“I knew how important and how special this occasion would be for Mason and a few of his friends, Waterford said. “So I arrived at his home in a brand new Rolls Royce convertible. Mason and three of his closest friends were so excited . . . We put the top down and it was a tremendous experience that Mason was able to share with his friends.”

“A few weeks later I went to check on Mason just to see how he was doing. When I arrived, Mason seemed a little down. I wanted to do what I could to help lift his spirits. So we took a little ride in another really cool vehicle, a very fast, supercharged Shelby F-150 truck. We talked about what was troubling him and by the end of our ride Mason was laughing his tail off, maybe due to a combination of the adrenaline of the ride in the truck and a better perspective of something he had no control over. I told him, worrying doesn’t take away tomorrow’s troubles, it takes away today’s peace.”

The news of Mason’s cancer taking a more aggressive turn came after that ride.

 You can find all relevant details about today’s prayer event on Facebook.com/MantecaFord.