Full story

Our story begins with Mike having abdominal surgery back in 2004, going into it with an existing lung disease called Sarcoidosis which led to a long 4 1/2 month hospital stay and a long road to recovery.  From that date, Mike's lung disease progressively worsened with him requiring oxygen which ultimately led to him going through the process of being listed for a double lung transplant. After months of tests, surgery and many doctor visits, on March 28, 2013 Mike was listed for a bilateral lung transplant.  The wait was long with the anxiety of waiting for "the call" where we would be told that they had lungs that were a match which Mike so desperately needed to survive. On August 1, 2013 we received a call that they had a match and we made our way to the hospital which turned out to be what, in transplant land, is referred to as a "dry run".  The lungs at that time were not viable for transplant and we were sent home to continue the wait. Shortly after the dry run, Mike was hospitalized and sent to a rehabilitation center near the hospital where he was to have the surgery and was told there he would stay until a set of lungs were found to be a match since his requirement for oxygen was so high and the equipment at home was not adequate for his needs.  Time was certainly not on Mike's side since he was becoming very ill as each day passed and his window was closing to be able to receive a transplant. But, on September 7, 2013 at 3:11 in the morning, we received the second call that they had a match for Mike. The surgery miraculously was a go and Mike underwent the overwhelming surgery of his life. He received the Gift of Life that day which led to more than a three month stay in the hospital due to complications.  But after months in the hospital, many procedures and a long road to recovery, it was then that he decided to write the donor family in hopes they would respond, which they did. We corresponded with the family a few times and at one point a letter was written from each family member, Mike's wife, daughter and son as well as Mike, each wrote a separate letter telling them how grateful they were, in their own words, for the selfless act during the most tragic time in this family's life.  Their daughter, Samantha, lovingly known as Sam, passed away at the age of 23 from a brain aneurysm that ruptured while she was driving to a friends house on September 5, 2013. The family made the decision to donate their daughter's organs to help save the lives of people in dire need of a transplant. Her heart, lungs and liver were donated and the lives of three people were saved. Mike was one of them and we have been grateful ever since and have come to be friends with the family and are so honored that we were able to meet and get to know about his donor and what a beautiful and wonderful person she was.   With her giving and caring personality, they knew this is what she would have wanted. It has been so meaningful to have met this family, participate in their fundraising events to benefit and support organ donor awareness through the Gift of Life, scholarships in Sam's name and brain aneurysm research. The events include a Sprint for Sam walk, a golf tournament, both of which are held annually among other fundraising with proceeds going to such an amazing cause. After participating in a number of these events it was decided to have a walk close to our home by the shore when we found out that Sam absolutely loved the beach.  We thought it would be special having it around her birthday, which is March 28, ironically that being the date Mike was first listed for transplant. With all this being said, we hope that you can join the Mania family in honoring Sam and the Pesaresi Family, in the Shore Sprint For Sam near our hometown at the Seaside Boardwalk in NJ on Saturday, March 30, 2019. The walk will begin at the Carteret Ave Stage and there will be an area to register and pick up your t-shirts. The shirts can be ordered on this website, please be sure to indicate if you will be attending the race when ordering shirts.

Thank you for your time and we hope you can attend the walk for a very wonderful cause honoring a very beautiful young woman.  Thank you in advance for your support.