‘Building an Army’: A Chesterfield boy’s battle with brain cancer and his mom’s mission to fund hope

‘Building an Army’: A Chesterfield boy’s battle with brain cancer and his mom’s mission to fund hope

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Nine-year-old John Paul Macri has always been fascinated by soldiers and their courage. Now, he's living a battle of his own. In March 2025, John Paul was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) -- a rare, highly aggressive and fatal type of brain tumor. DIPG is the deadliest childhood brain cancer. "In March, he just seemed off," said Katie Macri, John Paul's mom. "We were actually at his school…