Helping Rick get back into the race
On Sunday 11/8, Rick Zanni went for a run out in Sussex County. It was a warm, sunny, beautiful day. Shortly into his run he collapsed. He was rescued by cyclists and revived. He was transferred to Newton Medical Center where he has been on a ventilator, unsure of the damage to his brain from lack of oxygen. His dedicated, loving wife, Irene, has spent every possibly minute at his bedside.
Unfortunately, after days of hoping for a miracle turn around in Rick’s condition, the decision to let him go and to donate his organs was reached. Rick was able to save countless lives with the gift of donation. The sharing network was able to recover his liver, kidneys, corneas, bone and tissue. Rick’s family would like to assist Irene with the medical bills to relieve the stress and burden. We are asking friends and family to help.
Reflections on Rick (11/16/2020)
Written with deep love and respect by his best ‘man’, Dede
If Rick could speak right now, he would tell you that he loved, first and foremost, Irene and the love they nurtured for 41 years. He loved so much about life…Jackson Browne, working on family and friends homes for free to make them functional and beautiful, bringing home fresh flowers every week, cooking for Irene, the NY Giants, the Yankees, Derek Jeter, the University of Michigan wolverines football team, The Hallmark Channel…crying at more movies than he’d like to admit. He was the perpetual rooter for the underdog . A family man, who loved making his house a home of love.
Rick Zanni had the brightest smile in the room. While a very quiet man, he was the guy you would go to for advice; he exuded a calm presence and a wisdom of spirit from an unusually young age. Rick had a wicked sense of humor and zest for life. He chose to live a simple life materially, never wanting for anything, which was at times unnerving! He was content with his tight, small circle of family, friends, his beloved cats, (Chobi, Martha and Wally), co-workers and, of course, at the center was Irene. Irene was his world…truly, the stuff love stories are written about. They loved, among other things, spending time hiking together in the red rock canyons in Southern Utah.
Rick’s education and career point to his strength, creativity, and stunning intelligence. He was a master carpenter for 27 years. Additionally, he was a South Bronx 7th grade school teacher for 7 years and had a lifelong love of teaching. Rick earned a BA in mechanical engineering from Villanova in 1982 and completed certification credits towards his Masters in Education.
While his professional accomplishments are impressive enough, his impeccable character and generosity of spirit are his greatestlegacy. He was always, and I mean always, doing for others. He had a heart of gold and donated time, talent and treasure, as they say, whenever asked. He was one of those guys who was always willing to give you the shirt off his back. Rick and Irene participated in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps out of college, anorganization that works to ease the suffering of the poor and marginalized. He went on Habitat for Humanity trips and joined Irene who, as part of her job, organized a trip to Honduras to put a roof on an orphanage.
He was handsome beyond fairness, and worked out regularly his whole life, without complaint. He believed in the strength of his body and met it with a truly admirable tenacity and will. While many of us 60 year olds were hanging out watching Netflix and eating chips, he went out running…marathon running…afterworking a very physical job during working hours. He ran dozens of marathons. He qualified for the Boston marathon at 59 years of age with a 3:30 time. He ran dozens of 10k runs as well. He ran 6 days a week, 6-8 miles a day and a long run of two hours on the weekend…15 miles every Sunday He loved being in his body and breaking the odds of aging.
Actually, he came to his end while running. He had a heart attack on a The Paulinskill Trail in Sussex County NJ and he fell and was without oxygen until another runner found him on the dirt trail. When he arrived at the hospital the doctors were amazed to find a 60 year old man with the body of a 40 year old. He was, however, brain dead, due to the lack of oxygen he suffered while unconscious on the trail. A note from Irene: ”Thewoods were his ‘church’ and he was so excited to go on the day he collapsed, so he could see the leaves. The ER team said he was covered in leaves when they brought him in”.
The fact that the last act Rick will do on this earth is one of service is fitting beyond measure. I know he is grateful for the opportunity to help you heal.
