This page is dedicated to the memory of Dan, who died awaiting a compatible liver for transplantation.
Dan was a gentle man as well as a gentleman. He was the only son of Rom and Nina and was the eldest of 4 children. His sisters are Mary Jo, Linda, and Donna.
He was the father of three children, Tony, Tina, and Mark and the grandfather of two grandchildren, Kaelli and Nickolas.
Dan and I grew up together. Our families shared many good times celebrating birthdays and holidays. Like mine, Dan's family is a very loving and supportive one.
We went to school together from first grade through high school. He was popular, and I can truly say I never heard an unkind word spoken of him or an unkind word spoken by him. Dan was popular and admired by students and faculty. After graduating from high school, we saw less and less of each other, but through our parents, knew of the good times and the bad times we both had.
On March 11, 1999, heaven's gates opened...
And Dan's Lord took him home.
God saw he was getting tired,
And a cure was not to be;
So he put his arms around him,
And whispered "Come with me."
With tearful eyes we watched him suffer,
And saw him fade away;
Although we loved him dearly,
We could not make him stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard working hands to rest;
God broke our hearts to prove to us,
He only takes the BEST!
Author Unknown to Me
The following is a letter Dan's sister Mary Jo wrote to the editor of our local paper. Please read it and really listen to what she's saying. You CAN make a difference.
Dear Readers:
The dedicated team of doctors and nurses and caretakers who administered to our wonderful brother in the last two months of his life could not give him what only you, dear readers could have given him----his life. I pray other families will be spared the helpless agony and futile torment of watching one they so desperately loved but could not save, die so senselessly and needlessly. In a country with so many gifts, the lifesaving gift of an organ is more precious than all the material possessions we all own put together.
We watched our sweet and humble but proud Dan slip away day by day, while we prayed fervently for a liver to be given to him. When he had no more hope nor life left to him, we said our good-byes at his hospital bedside and released him into the hands of a loving God. He could fight the pains of death no longer.
I implore, you, dear readers, with all the sincerity in my heart and soul, please donate you viable organs and tissues. All you have to do is tell someone--anyone in your family of your wishes. We were told a week after Dan's death that a non-sighted person is now seeing again because Dan-even in dying-donated his beautiful brown, haunting eyes. It was all he had left that was healthy because his liver had poisoned him internally. Give someone else a chance to live again so that Dan's death can give us meaning. Nothing you could ever do in your entire lifetime would be more benevolent or self-sacrificing.
Please help me fight this battle,
To keep our loved ones safe,
Donate your organs and tissues,
And hold onto the faith.
I'll give you peace to fill your heart,
Send sun to break the night,
Provide the strength to move beyond
The hurt and do what's right.