Organs for Loving Parents

Michele Montani and James "Jamie" Heath--together for 27 years...

It is uncertain when this part of their story begins. For us, it started on March 12, 2012. Jamie was admitted to JFK with dangerous blood clotting and congestive heart failure. After three weeks there, he needed to be transferred to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick NJ where he had a defibrillator inserted into his chest. Ten months later, Michele was admitted to the ER at Robert Wood and diagnosed with ESRD (End Stage Renal Disease). She was informed she would need a kidney transplant. Not to be outdone, Jamie had a stroke not four months later. This was from Coumadin, the blood-thinner of choice for those unable to pay for more advanced anticoagulants.

Things were uneventful for a while until Michele had to be treated for breast cancer, which required removal from the transplant list. Thankfully, the prognosis was positive with minimal treatment and her transplant status was reinstated. Then, in March of this year, Jamie was diagnosed with pneumonia. He was "treated and streeted" three times, yet his pneumonia was never resolved completely.  Michele, in the meantime, was told that her condition is worsened. We need a kidney now. While digesting this information, Jamie reported labored breathing. Upon visiting his doctor's office he was quickly brought into the ER. His heart was weakening. He was then told he needed a heart transplant. The following day, his blood pressure plummeted. He needed an arrhythmia corrected with electric paddles and thankfully his blood pressure went up enough to do that. Just when we thought he was getting better, his lung collapsed, for which they inserted a chest tube--it's a nasty procedure. A respirator was next, followed by fever and a cooling blanket. He remained in ICU with Michele by his side for nearly three weeks. In spite of all of her responsibilities and her illness, she sat bedside, holding his hand and willing him to get better for her and their sixteen-year-old son. On Thanksgiving, he was able to breathe again on his own. His lung re-inflated and the chest tube removed and finally, on Dec. 9th, he was transferred to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in NYC, where he underwent evaluation for transplant assessment.

Since then, Michele has suffered major setbacks in her journey. She has been hospitalized for emergency conditions, infections, and surgical procedures. Jamie has undergone cardiac rehab at Robert Wood Johnson in New Brunswick and was subsequently rejected from the program. They only pick the healthiest candidates, you know. It has to do with statistics and ratings. Since then, he has been a part of the transplant program at Beth Israel in Newark. Things are hopeful but they are very slow-going. He is not on the heart transplant list. 

Jamie and Michele are parents to one child. He has recently graduated from high school and will be taking college classes in the fall. He is a family treasure and doesn't deserve the burden he bears but he bears it with the same humor and compassion we all do.  He is my nephew and one of my heroes. 

This fundraiser is to support this family to ease their very heavy burden, much of which falls on a seventeen-year-old boy. We thank you for your generosity and support. Michele works full time for two doctors who are soon retiring. On top of everything, she faces unemployment. She has worked throughout her illness. Jamie was teaching as a substitute as he was able, but it has been a long time since then.  Following the pneumonia diagnosis, he had to step away from his band, Bad Attitude, for which he is the lead singer and has been for 30 years. They have been going strong since their humble start in 1986 and have headlined at many and participated in many more charity events and fundraisers for those in need. The loss of income has been harsh. Michele and Jamie have sacrificed time and donated funds consistently during the span of his musical career, for people they did not know. Now, we hope that their giving nature can be repaid by others who value paying it forward as much as they do. 

Household expenses, as well as medical expenses, and now college expenses are ever-looming and these funds will be used to ease their deep financial burdens.

Please allow me (Jamie's sister) to thank you in advance. When I returned to edit and share this page, I saw 3 donations from 12/16 through 7/17 that never received our thanks. We were not notified. Our eternal thanks and gratitude for the kindness of our family and friends and strangers to boot! THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU!
On September 3rd, 2018, Michele passed away. A mere 101 days later, Jamie joined her. We are devastated. Please follow the link to continue your support for their son and the family members who have stepped up to keep him in his home. Continue your support 

Michele's Obituary: http://www.costello-greiner.com/obituary/michele-montani 
Jamie's Obituary: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/james-m-heath-jr-obituary?pid=191006024