Support For Johnny Swet's Liver Transplant

Hello Everyone. I’m Angela Glaze, a friend of Frank Vigliotti. I’m organizing this fundraiser to help our mutual friends, Frank and his partner Johnny Swet, as they anxiously await a liver to become available for Johnny's liver transplant, to be followed by treatment for prostate cancer.

After nearly three years of multiple hospital visits, including four stays in the Intensive Care Unit and more recently eight days on a ventilator/life support, followed by five weeks of hospitalization, Johnny Swet was finally accepted to the transplant list. We are hopeful that he should be getting a transplant within the next few weeks or months. On Wednesday, January 11th, Johnny was released from the hospital rehabilitation facility to go home and wait for a liver to become available. But right now the waiting is the hardest part. He is very frail, his health is severely compromised, and he cannot walk, use the bathroom, or eat without assistance.

Getting on the list is like winning the lottery, but their current medical and financial situation feels insurmountable.

They are behind on rent, utilities are at risk, bill collectors are coming out of the woodwork while insurance is refusing claims because many of Johnny's required and necessary prescriptions and procedures are not covered by insurance, so Frank and Johnny will need to pay for these out of pocket. These guys could use all the help we can give them!

Johnny Swet is a military veteran, as well as a prominent figure in the New York City restaurant industry scene, but his current business, Grand Republic Cocktail Club, is about to permanently close its doors due to the situation at hand.

Home Healthcare did not show up for their home visit appointment on Thursday, January 12th. Frank is doing all he can by himself to care for Johnny around the clock with a very specific healthcare schedule that includes over twenty medications, meal prep, errands back and forth to the drug store, hospital, and supermarket, as well as Johnny's medical appointments to endocrinologists, oncologists, physical therapies and the general physical assistance he needs at this time since he is a fall risk. Frank cannot leave Johnny alone and has taken a leave of absence from graduate school in his last semester to care for Johnny.

I would love it if we could come together to rally around Frank and Johnny during this time in their lives that I am sure feels impossible on so many levels.

Johnny has a backlog of medical bills along with future, post-transplant medical needs, in addition to current daily expenses. Johnny has not been able to work throughout all of this. Frank has taken a leave of absence from his final semester of graduate school to care for Johnny. This fundraiser will hopefully lighten some of these financial burdens so that they both can concentrate on healing medically and financially.

I’m starting the fundraiser goal at $25,000* which seems like a lot, but it is only a small portion of his actual medical bills. Frank and Johnny will be the only beneficiaries of this GoFundMe Fundraiser and will be withdrawing the funds directly, as needed.

Please help spread the word for our spectacular friends, Frank and Johnny!

I know not everyone is in a position to donate financially. But hopefully what everyone can and will do is share this fundraiser.

Again, I am Angela Glaze, and I have set up this fundraiser on behalf of Frank Vigliotti and Johnny Swet. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions about the fundraiser.

*1/18/23 UPDATE/EDIT

Wow! Your generosity is astonishing - and appreciated!

You may have noticed the goal amount on this fundraiser has increased. We are trying to set milestone goals that will increase incrementally as we accomplish each goal. Johnny has been fighting and surviving against incredible odds… and all unbeknownst to many of us. Now that we know, let’s all do our best to give Johnny and Frank all the support we can!

Many of you have sent me private messages asking for Johnny and Frank’s address to drop off meals and such, or send them letters and cards. I am not at liberty to give out their home address. And due to Johnny's health risks, they are not able to accept visitors at this time. Frank has asked me not to launch the meal-delivery schedule that I was creating for him. I will absolutely keep you updated if anything changes in favor of such an endeavor. Thank You for respecting Frank and Johnny's request.

So for the time being, making a donation is the best way of reaching out a helping hand. By providing a monetary gift, you can be part of our effort to provide Johnny and Frank with some financial stability. With Johnny’s loss of income from his illness, and Frank’s loss of income as he takes on the role of Johnny’s primary caregiver, our guys need help to be able to pay their rent, utilities, medical bills and living expenses so they can focus on keeping Johnny well enough for his liver transplant, transplant recovery, and all of that followed up with Johnny’s treatment for prostate cancer. Hopefully we can collectively ease their current and impending financial strain.

Times are incredibly challenging right now for so many people, and I ask you to consider donating whatever amount you can spare. No donation is too small, and sharing this fundraiser with others is equally valuable.

THANK YOU for all you have done so far to help Johnny and Frank through this extremely trying time in their lives.

Much Love!

Angela Glaze (on behalf of Johnny and Frank)