Griffin Della Penna reached the Rochester Americans’ broadcast booth this season after overcoming childhood leukemia and, years later, recovering from spinal surgery that forced him to relearn how to walk.
The 25-year-old Batavia native described those experiences, his family’s support and his connection to hockey in a feature by TheAHL.com writer Patrick Williams published by the Americans on Nov. 13. Della Penna succeeded longtime broadcaster Don Stevens, who retired last spring.
A childhood shaped by treatment and family
Della Penna’s medical ordeal began Nov. 27, 2004, when joint pain became so severe that he could no longer stand. His parents, Matthew and Ellen, took him to an emergency room, and he was transferred by ambulance to Buffalo Children’s Hospital.
Doctors diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. His treatment included chemotherapy, spinal taps and hospital stays lasting three to four days. On June 1, 2007, his family learned he was cancer-free.
Among the physicians who cared for him was pediatric hematologist-oncologist Dr. Martin Brecher of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Williams reported that Brecher, with whom Della Penna developed a close relationship, died in September.
His parents shared the hospital trips while managing work and school. His mother had returned to college, and his father operated a power-washing and painting business. Della Penna credited them with protecting him and his older sister, Allison, from the financial and emotional pressures they faced.
Allison later became a child-life specialist, helping children and families understand and cope with medical care through education and emotional support.
Hockey connections reached beyond the rink
During his childhood, Della Penna formed a connection with Amerks and Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller, whose charitable work included the Courage of Carly Fund. He also remembered meeting Sabres forward Jason Pominville and attending holiday gatherings with other children facing serious illnesses.
Those experiences offered his family a break from treatment and helped him feel connected to other children. Della Penna told Williams that the support helped build his lasting attachment to the Sabres and Americans.
One friend was fellow Batavia native Michael Napoleone, who had Burkitt lymphoma and leukemia and died in 2007. Della Penna continues to remember that friendship, and his mother serves on the board of the Michael Napoleone Memorial Foundation.
Another recovery on the way to Rochester
Della Penna’s interest in broadcasting began when his father stopped on ESPN while changing television channels. Seeing SportsCenter introduced him to the possibility of making sports his work.
A three-sport high school athlete, he joined the Division I baseball team at Canisius College as a walk-on. After his sophomore year, he shifted his attention to broadcasting. His experience included an internship with Pegula Sports and Entertainment, work for ESPN+ and the ACC Network, and a job at WPRI-TV in Providence, Rhode Island, where his coverage included the New England Patriots.
He also worked as a rinkside reporter on Americans television broadcasts and as an in-arena host for the Sabres.
In 2024, back and leg pain led to MRI scans that revealed a spinal cord tumor. An eight-hour operation removed it, and testing showed it was noncancerous. Recovery required six months of physical therapy, including learning again how to walk and climb stairs.
Rochester hired him for the play-by-play role in July. His parents were in the Blue Cross Arena stands for his Oct. 2 season-opening broadcast, listening to his call through earphones.
Della Penna still tries to visit patients at Roswell Park and Golisano Children’s Hospital in Rochester. His experiences have encouraged him to support children facing cancer.
“The lessons learned along the way were incredibly valuable,” he told Williams.
The Americans’ Hockey Fights Cancer night is scheduled for Feb. 12. Rochester is among 22 AHL teams hosting an event as part of this season’s campaign.
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