The Story of Josh Palmer

Early Years and Athletic Foundation

Josh Palmer grew up in Elmira, New York, where sports were just a regular part of his life. Whether it was football in the fall, basketball in the winter, or baseball in the spring, he enjoyed being around teammates and competing.

At Southside High School, Palmer was a three-sport athlete and a steady contributor across the board. A 1998 graduate, he earned nine varsity letters in football, basketball, and baseball. He was a three-time All-STC selection in baseballand earned All-STC honors in football as a senior.

Football gave him some of his biggest opportunities. He played wherever the team needed—defensive back, running back, punt returner—and his senior season he was named Southside’s Defensive Player of the Year, while also earning All-Section and All-Twin Tiers recognition.

In basketball, Palmer helped Southside win the STC Championship during his senior year. In baseball, his consistency made him one of the area’s most reliable players, earning All-STC honors three years in a row.

His coaches often pointed to the way he handled himself, not just the results. Basketball coach Bill Limoncelli said:

“Josh was a dedicated and fierce competitor. He thrived on teamwork, carried himself with confidence, and had leadership that inspired everyone around him.”

Football coach Ron Norman added:

“Josh’s dedication and leadership made him a favorite among his teammates and coaches. He had the work ethic and determination you look for in every athlete. He wasn’t just good at one sport—he excelled in all of them because he refused to be outworked.”

After graduating in 1998, Palmer took the next step and continued his athletic career at Alfred University, where he went on to play college football.

A Bright Future Cut Short by a Diagnosis

After a strong freshman season at Alfred University, Josh Palmer’s future looked promising. At 19 years old, he was in good shape and adjusting well to college football. But in the spring of 1999, his health started to change.

The first signs were fatigue, night sweats, and weight loss. At first, Josh thought it was just the demands of being a college athlete. His mother, Mary, felt otherwise and encouraged him to see a doctor.

The tests showed something no one expected: late-stage Hodgkin’s disease, a cancer of the lymphatic system. His doctor, Dr. Rose Byland, explained that the tumor in his chest was “at least two-thirds the circumference of the chest wall—roughly the size of a small football.”

For Josh, it was difficult to process.

“I remember sitting there, not knowing how many days I had left,” he said. “I was scared to death, but I also refused to give up.”

Through it all, he wasn’t alone. His parents, Mary and Jim, stayed by his side during appointments and treatments. His longtime coach and mentor, Bill Limoncelli, visited him in the hospital, reminding him of the same teamwork and resilience he had shown as an athlete.

Cancer had changed Josh Palmer’s path, but it did not take away his determination to fight.

The Battle Begins: Chemotherapy, Radiation, and a Fight for Life

When the diagnosis came, treatment had to start right away. For Josh Palmer, that meant months of chemotherapy and radiation—a difficult process that tested him in every way.

The changes showed quickly. The strong frame that had carried him through football began to fade. He lost more than 50 pounds, dropping to just 119 pounds at his lowest point. Looking in the mirror was hard—he barely recognized himself.

The nights were especially tough. Exhausted from treatment, he would collapse into bed only to wake up shivering under layers of blankets. Eating became another challenge. The treatments left a metallic taste in his mouth, and his appetite nearly disappeared.

Josh admitted there were moments when the weight of it all felt overwhelming.

“I remember thinking, I don’t know how many more days I’ve got left,” he said. “College football was always on my mind. I just kept telling myself, if I can get through this, maybe I can get back out there again.”

Even through treatment, Josh stayed enrolled at Alfred University. He managed to complete his freshman year with a GPA above 3.0, despite the toll of his illness. For him, academics weren’t about recognition—it was a way to hold on to normal life and remind himself that cancer hadn’t taken everything.

Through every setback and sleepless night, his focus stayed on survival—and, if possible, the hope of stepping back onto the football field again.

Creating a Support System: Forming a Group for Young Adults

As Josh Palmer went through treatment, he noticed something missing. Most of the support groups were made up of older patients. They had peers to lean on, people who understood what they were going through. But for young adults like Josh—just 19 years old—there was no real place to turn. The isolation was difficult.

With encouragement from his parents, Jim and Mary, and the steady support of his longtime coach and mentor, Bill Limoncelli, Josh decided to create something for people his age. From that need, the Josh Palmer Support Group for Young Adults with Cancer was formed.

It began small—just three members sitting together, sharing experiences about treatment and what it felt like to be young and facing cancer. Even in those early days, Josh could see how important it was. Over time, the group grew to 10–12 regular members, each carrying their own challenges but finding comfort in knowing they weren’t alone. Josh often said that talking with those young people gave him as much strength as he gave them.

As Josh’s perspective widened, he learned something that shocked him. At Southside High School, the place where he had once been a three-sport athlete, more than 40 students had been diagnosed with cancer since 1979—with 13 cases in just the past three years. It was a reminder that his battle wasn’t just personal. It was part of a larger fight in his community.

That realization led to the next step. Together with Jim and Mary Palmer and Coach Limoncelli, Josh helped launch the Josh Palmer Fund—an organization dedicated to supporting local cancer patients and raising money for cancer-related causes in the Twin Tiers. What began as a small effort connected to Josh’s own struggle soon became a source of hope and help for countless families across the region.

A Community United in Hope and Action

What began as a small support group has grown into a lasting movement, bringing an entire community together. The Josh Palmer Fund continues to be more than just a name—it is a symbol of hope for families across the Twin Tiers who are facing the same challenges Josh has faced and overcome.

The fund thrives through events that connect Josh’s love for sports with the community’s desire to make a difference. The JP Fund Basketball Tournament still fills gyms with energy—not just for competition, but for a cause bigger than the game. On the baseball field, longtime family friend and legendary coach Jeff Limoncelli continues to lead the 100-Inning Baseball Game, turning a marathon day of swings and hits into a tradition of support, community, and healing.

Football has played an important role as well. The Pigskin Classic was started at Mansfield University by Sports Information Director Steve McCloskey, Head Coach Joe Gilbert, and Assistant Coach Mike Cerasuolo, bringing Josh’s story and mission to the field. Today, the event continues, honoring Josh’s spirit and ongoing impact. The annual golf tournament also continues to bring the community together, proving that some of the most meaningful victories happen away from the scoreboard.

Together, these events do more than raise awareness—they raise real support. To date, the fund has provided nearly $2 million in direct assistance to families, easing the financial burdens that often come with cancer treatment and offering hope when it’s needed most.

Josh’s story and leadership have reached far beyond the local area. Featured by USA TODAY, NCAA.com, and other national outlets, Josh continues to inspire, showing through his words and actions that resilience and courage are powerful tools for life:

“You can go to hell and back, but you can also come back stronger.”

The Josh Palmer Fund continues to thrive every day, helping families, strengthening the community, and celebrating Josh’s ongoing legacy of courage, resilience, and hope.

A Remarkable Return: From Diagnosis to Graduation

2000 – Declared Cancer-Free
After months of chemotherapy, radiation, and relentless side effects, Josh Palmer finally heard the words he had been waiting for: cancer-free. The announcement marked not only the end of treatment but also the beginning of his comeback. Determined to reclaim the life cancer had interrupted—especially football—Josh set his sights on the field again.

2000 – Mansfield Opportunity
That fall, opportunity came calling. Joe Gilbert, the newly hired head football coach at Mansfield University, reached out to Josh with an offer: come join the Mountaineers and help rebuild the program in the highly competitive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).

For Josh, it was more than just a roster spot—it was validation that his dream wasn’t over. Even more meaningful was the chance to reunite with Mike Cerasuolo, his former coach at Alfred University who had supported him throughout his battle with cancer. Cerasuolo had just joined Gilbert’s staff as offensive coordinator, and together they opened the door for Josh’s remarkable return.

2000–2001 – Back on the Field
Josh earned a place as a defensive back. His body was still smaller and weaker than before treatment, but his willpower filled in the gaps. Practices were punishing, but he refused to let setbacks define him. Simply putting the pads back on was a victory, but Josh wanted more—he wanted to prove he could compete.

2001 – Named Team Captain
By his second season, his teammates and coaches had seen enough to know he was different. His toughness, perspective, and refusal to quit made him a natural leader. In 2001, Josh was voted team captain—a moment that symbolized not just his athletic comeback, but the courage it had taken to get there.

2001–2002 – A Crushing Knee Injury
Just as the dream seemed within reach, tragedy struck again. By the spring game of 2001, Josh had the inside track on a starting spot in the secondary and as a punt returner. But in that game, disaster hit—he blew out his right knee, tearing the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and cartilage.

Doctors told him surgery was the only way back, but surgery also meant his football career would almost certainly be over. Driven by stubborn willpower, Josh chose instead to rehab all summer, determined to play again. By fall camp, he was back at practice, shocking many who thought his playing days were done.

“He just flabbergasts people with the things he overcomes,” said Steve McCloskey, Mansfield’s sports information director.

But fate intervened again. In practice that fall, during a routine back-pedal drill with no contact, Josh’s knee gave out a second time. This time, there would be no return. His playing career was over.

“It was a lifelong dream of mine to play college football,” Josh later said. “I had achieved that, and then it was taken from me. I recognized then that playing football was a privilege and not a right.”

2001–2002 – Transition to Coaching
While the injury was devastating, Chris Woods, who had just been promoted to head coach, wasn’t willing to let Josh’s story end on the turf. Woods made Josh the defensive backs coach, ensuring his final chapter in football wouldn’t be one of injury, but of leadership.

“I know Josh really loves the game of football,” Woods said. “I didn’t want his last experience in college to be him lying on the ground, injured.”

Josh poured himself into coaching, channeling the same intensity he had once put into training. On the sidelines, he became a motivator, mentor, and example for younger players of what it meant to never quit.

2002 – Graduation
Off the field, Josh continued to excel. In the spring of 2002, he graduated from Mansfield University with high honors, earning a degree in secondary education. His graduation was more than an academic achievement—it was proof that resilience, community support, and determination could carry someone through the darkest battles.

2002–2003 – Teaching & Coaching Career
With diploma in hand, Josh immediately began giving back:

He joined the football staff at Elmira Notre Dame, coaching the defensive line under longtime head coach and local legend Mike D’Aloisio.

A year later, he returned home to Southside High School, serving as an assistant varsity football coach and later as head JV basketball coach under his lifelong mentor, Bill Limoncelli.

2004 – Returning Home as Head Varsity Basketball Coach
In 2004, a full-circle moment arrived. Josh was chosen to succeed his lifelong mentor and hero, Hall of Fame coach Bill Limoncelli, as the varsity head basketball coach at Southside High School.

Taking over for the man who had shaped him both as a player and as a person was an honor Josh never took lightly. For him, coaching wasn’t just about wins and losses—it was about giving back to the same school and community that had carried him through cancer.

From student-athlete, to survivor, to coach and mentor, Josh’s journey by 2004 stood as living proof that resilience, faith, and community can transform even the harshest setbacks into new beginnings

A Community Leader and Advocate

Today, Palmer is not only a successful businessman—serving as President and Managing Partner at Swan Morss Insurance, part of The Dunn Group—but also a passionate community advocate. He serves on multiple boards, including the Elmira City School District Board and the Chemung County Sports Hall of Fame. He remains deeply involved in fundraising efforts, speaking engagements, and supporting local youth and cancer initiatives. Palmer resides in Elmira, New York, with his wife Kelly—who is principal at Pine City Elementary School—and their three boys: Michael, Luke, and Logan.

Show Less

Recognition and Awards

A Community Leader and Advocate

Palmer’s inspiring journey has earned him numerous awards, including the prestigious Ernie Davis Courage Award, the American Cancer Society Volunteer of the Year, and induction into both the Chemung County Athletic Hall of Fame and the Elmira City School District Athletic Hall of Fame. Additionally, on December 28, 2024, Senator Tom O’Mara and City of Elmira Mayor Dan Mandell declared December 28th as “Josh Palmer Day” in the City of Elmira. His story exemplifies how adversity can be transformed into a force for good.

Show Less

A Legacy of Hope and Resilience

A Community Leader and Advocate

A Legacy of Hope and Resilience

Palmer’s story stands as a powerful testament to the transformative power of hope, community, and resilience. From a gifted young athlete excelling in football, basketball, and baseball, to a cancer survivor and unwavering advocate, his journey proves that even in our darkest hours, hope can illuminate the path to a brighter future. Today, the very same waiting room at Falck Cancer Center where he once sat in uncertainty is now named in honor of the Josh Palmer Fund—an enduring symbol of the compassion, dedication, and hope that have brought strength, comfort, and healing to countless others in need.

His message remains simple but profound: “Until no one on Earth has cancer, the Josh Palmer Fund will be there.” His life continues to inspire countless individuals, reminding us all that strength, compassion, and community can overcome even the most daunting challenges.

Show Less