Young at Heart, Full of Thanks

Mark Reagan, a heart transplant recipient and resident of Basking Ridge, escorted Suzanne Rizzo, of Staten Island, N.Y., down the runway during a recent “Walk of Life” ceremony at the Short Hills Hillton to thank her with all of his heart.

Reagan was one of the heart recipients and family members of donors to participate in the ceremony at the NJ Sharing Network Foundation’s 25th anniversary dinner and auction on April 12 at the Short Hills Hilton in Short Hills.

Reagan, 63, received a heart from an out of state donor, according to the NJ Sharing Network Foundation. Suzanne Rizzo had also donated her son Anthony's heart after the young man passed away suddenly in 2010, according to NJ Sharing Network Foundation. The “Walk of Life” ceremony honored organ donor families and recipients, as well as New Jersey hospitals that support the organ donation/transplantation community.

The celebration of life for organ and honoring tissue transplant recipients and the courageous acts of donor families were the reason for the dinner.

Attracting more than 300 guests, the evening was also dedicated to honoring New Jersey’s transplant centers and hospital partners for their continued support of the organ donation and transplantation community.

Mark Reagan and his wife, Helen, also are among the sponsors of the evening, along with ShopRite (Village Supermarkets), and many hospitals, research groups and individual businesses.

The “Walk of Life” ceremony was the highlight of the evening, featuring a living donor or donor family member walking with an organ or tissue recipient, to present NJ Sharing Network’s hospital partners with an award.

Planning months ahead, the 21-member dinner committee, led by Alberta D’Addio, a resident of Watchung and NJ Sharing Network Foundation Board of Trustees member, and Morris Plains resident Susan Quiroga, manager of corporate planning and administration for NJ Sharing Network, hoped to raise a significant amount of money to help support NJ Sharing Network’s mission, and also establish new relationships with individuals and corporations to increase awareness as well as the number of people in New Jersey registered as organ and tissue donors.

“I was truly honored to be involved with such an incredible, moving event,” said Alberta D’Addio, who donated her husband, Joe’s, organs after he suffered a fatal cerebral brain hemorrhage in 2009. “As a donor wife, being asked to co-chair the anniversary dinner had a personal meaning for me. The lives saved and lives enhanced over the past 25 years by the miraculous work of NJ Sharing Network and their hospital partners deserve to be honored.”

“Our 25th anniversary dinner and auction was a celebration for those given the gift of life through organ and tissue donation, and an opportunity to honor the families of organ and tissue donors,” said Joe Roth, president and chief executive officer of NJ Sharing Network. “It was also an opportunity to thank members of the organ donation and transplantation community for saving lives each and every day.”

Guests enjoyed a fun-filled evening that featured a silent auction for Yankee box seat tickets, an overnight stay and massage for two at the Short Hills Hilton and many more incredible items. Those in attendance also congratulated “Ray of Hope” award recipient Mary DiNardo, the widow of Det. Marc Anthony DiNardo of the Jersey City Police Department, who was killed in July 2009. Mary DiNardo made the decision to donate her husband’s organs and tissue. The lives of three New Jerseyans were saved by the detective’s heart and two kidneys.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story said the heart received by Mark Reagan came from Suzanne's son. That information was supplied by the NJ Sharing Network Foundation, which also supplied the updated information after the story was published.