Hi Team JSAV33!

This year marks the 8th anniversary of Joey becoming our forever angel & the 15th anniversary of the NJSN 5K!.  As we come together to honor Joey, I would like you all to remember the amazing times you spent together creating unforgettable memories honoring him in some way or another that will forever remain in your hearts and on your minds.  If you didn't have the pleasure of knowing Joey, my hope is that you have gotten to know him through a family member or friend who did, by listening to their stories or from the story I wrote in his memory.  I always said when Joey was born, they definitely "broke the mold".  He IS one of a kind that is for sure!!  Let us all remember the superstar and hero that he has been and will always be and how much his life brought us so much happiness and joy through the pain.  Even though Joey is physically not here, his life continues to live on in so many wonderful and amazing people who are able to create new memories with their loved ones.  It has been such an incredible honor and so special each year to have Joey's heart recipient, Jim and his family, be apart of our family as we continue to celebrate Joey's life. Since 2017, we have continued to honor and remember the legacy of our precious angel, as it certainly has not been easy missing his beautiful smile, infectious laugh and his huge personality, but most of all his love.

Two years ago, Joey was co-sponsored by the New Jersey Sharing Network and MTF Biologics at the 2023 Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California as an honoree on the Donate Life Rose Parade float which was the Chinese Dragon, "Lifting Each Other Up" for being an organ and tissue donor.  A beautiful life like floagragh picture was made from an actual photo of him out of flowers, gains, seeds and other various raw materials and placed at the top of the dragons tail for the world to see! To say this was beyond an incredible and amazing honor for our son was an understatement.  To be apart of this honor and experience for Joey was something I will forever be so thankful and grateful to both organizations.  There were so many overwhelming emotions during the time we were there honoring Joey, but I know my sweet boy was with me every minute enjoying every moment of that amazing time because he chose to help so many people so they could continue living a wonderful life.

As many of you know I wrote a beautiful story in memory of Joey that I would like to continue to share with you.   Thanks to the New Jersey Sharing Network and MTF Biologics (Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation), I have had so many incredible opportunities to share his story at many engagements across the United States that are affiliated with both organizations.  I was invited to speak in front of many tissue reconstructive surgeons and various team members from MTF from across the country at the MTF Connect to Purpose Symposium in Scottsdale, Arizona. NJSN also selected, parts of, Joey’s story and a picture of, him and I, together to be featured on the buck slip that will go out to all New Jersey driver license renewals to promote organ and tissue donation with the hopes of more people will register.  The buck slips will also be displayed in all motor vehicle agencies across the state of New Jersey.  They will also continue to go out in the mailer and be given out at events and meetings.  Joey’s story was also featured in a mass email “A Message of Hope” that went out to hundreds of people within the NJSN organization from the President and CEO on April 1, 2021.  MTF Biologics, has also displayed, a beautiful story based off of my original story on their Facebook page for all to read.  We have also been involved with a couple of television interviews in 2022 before the Rose Bowl Parade sharing his incredible selfless decision to become an organ, tissue and eye donor.  So many wonderful people have helped spread, Joey’s amazing story that will continue to keep his memory alive and his legacy will live on through all the lives he has helped and saved.  He is our SUPERSTAR AND HERO!!

As Joey's mother, I could not be more honored and proud of each and everyone of you who continue to walk/run each year in honor of, Joey! Let's continue to keep, Joey's, legacy alive for many years to come by walking and "sending it" for our angel in heaven.

Please join me at the New Jersey Sharing Network 5k in New Providence, New Jersey on Sunday, June 8, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., in New Providence, New Jersey on Team JSAV33! Let’s continue to have one of the biggest and loudest teams for Joey - GO BIG OR GO HOME!!  Joey, will always be with each and every one of us as we represent him for his amazing gift of life to others.  If you are unable to walk and would like to make a donation to the New Jersey Sharing Network in Joey's memory, please feel free to do so.  This is such a wonderful and beautiful organization that gives so much hope to so many families and their loved ones.

The address is listed below.  Please write in the memo section of your check Team JSAV33 - Joey Savage.

We are sincerely thankful and incredibly grateful!  Thank you for supporting NJ Sharing Network.

Love and Hugs,
Heather & John

NJ Sharing Network, 691 Central Avenue, New Providence, NJ 07974

TO HONOR. TO REMEMBER. TO GIVE HOPE.

JOEY - OUR FOREVER ANGEL

Joey, was full of life with so much energy and a heart overflowing with love and kindness. Joey, loved life to the fullest and people of all ages just gravitated to him like nothing I have ever seen. He always had the mentality of “go big or go home” and he did just that. When, Joey, walked into a room, you knew he had arrived. Whether it be from his boisterous voice, infectious smile, huge bear hugs or his jokes and antics, he was present in every way.

On, October 17, 2017, at the age of 25, Joey, passed away from injuries he sustained from a car accident 5 days earlier near where he lived in New Jersey. Joey, had massive brain trauma and was declared legally brain dead. Hearing those words was like living in a tragic nightmare that no mother or parent should ever have to hear. When I received the phone call on Thursday, October 12, 2017 at 11:30 p.m. from his father, informing me of, Joey’s, car accident, I was in disbelief, my heart was racing and I felt sick to my stomach. I immediately started crying because I had to get to him, as soon as, I could because we lived in Florida. When I hung up, I started screaming for my husband, John, but little did I know, John was already on his cell phone, speaking with his best friend, Jason, from the fire department in New Jersey. Jason, responded to the call and when he arrived, he realized it was, Joey. He and the other firemen worked so hard to get, Joey, out of his car and to the helicopter that was on standby waiting to medivac him to Morristown Memorial Hospital. John, just held me as I screamed and cried hysterically, and all I could think about was I can’t lose my son. Joey, is my only child and my entire world. No parent should ever have to feel the unbearable pain of losing a child and “why”. My life as I knew it would be forever changed with trying to navigate each day and understand simply “why”. One tiny word that had such a tremendous impact. So many things ran through my mind like, I will never get to see him marry the love of his life or have grandchildren or be able to watch him grow up to be an amazing, hard-working man that I know he would have been.
As much as, my heart was shattered into a million pieces and my mind was full of so many emotions, the pieces began to be filled with, my son’s selfless devotion, true to who he was, to give his last gifts to this world – a second chance at life to someone in need. Bringing full circle, the struggle of hope in the face of hopelessness and helplessness – he was already a true angel to so many. It was Joey’s decision at the age of 17, to become an organ donor when he received his driver’s license. I remember him asking me a couple of questions about organ and tissue donation as he was going through the application. Then at one point, he turned to me, with a smirk on his face and a little chuckle, as he was checking off the box to be an organ donor and said to me “after all I am JSAV” which has been his childhood nickname that his friends called him since he started school. At that moment I don’t think I could have been anymore proud of him for his mind at 17 to even think about helping others by giving them his gifts to complete strangers, so they can continue living. To this day, I have so much admiration for his decision he made.

In January, 2018 I wrote letters to all of, Joey’s, organ recipients with the assistance of the New Jersey Sharing Network. Joey, donated his heart, both kidneys, liver and corneas. I prayed and hoped that someday I would meet his organ recipients, but most of all, I prayed even harder that I would meet the man who received, my son’s beautiful heart. A couple of months later, I received a letter from, Eversight, informing me that, Joey, gave the gift of sight back to two young men in Illinois and Michigan through sight- restoring transplants. I also, received a beautiful letter from one of Joey’s kidney recipients with an enclosed picture of he and his new bride. I was overwhelmed with the joy of knowing, Joey, gave them all so much of their lives back to enjoy.

In April of 2018, I received the letter that I prayed for most of all... A letter from Joey’s heart recipient, whose name was Jim. I cannot even begin to explain the happiness and joy I felt as I read, Jim’s letter. We continued to write back and forth a couple of more times and it was truly ironic how, Jim, enjoyed many things that, Joey did. They both enjoyed going to the beach and boogie boarding, they both are fans of the New York Giants football team, they love music and playing basketball. In the fall of 2018, my family and I were blessed to have met Jim and his wonderful family. There were not enough words to express how grateful we all were, especially me being, Joey’s mother. It meant so much to meet this kind and amazing man, who was holding something so precious and magnificent that once belong to my handsome, son.

When we met Jim and his family it was truly amazing. We all talked, cried, and laughed as if we already knew one another. Jim, asked me if I would like to hear and touch Joey’s heart that now was inside of him. I had no words and just cried and nodded my head yes. It was simply beautiful listening to, Joey’s heart and feeling it beat through, Jim’s chest. I whispered to, Joey’s heart, I love you buddy always and forever. It also gave me the much-needed peace and solidarity knowing a very special piece of, Joey, will continue to live on here on earth for many years to come.
Losing, Joey, has been the most difficult for me to manage. With that said, I have also had to manage and understand why my life has had so many additional tragedies. Four months prior to, Joey, passing away I lost my mother to cancer. Four months after, Joey, had passed away, I lost my eldest brother to an unexpected massive heart attack in March, 2018. And finally, in June, 2018 I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (blood and bone marrow) cancer. At that point I was numb and couldn’t understand once again “why”. I hadn’t been able to grieve and navigate each day with the loss of my son, mother and brother and then how to deal with cancer.

I started very aggressive chemotherapy right away and underwent an extremely difficult stem cell transplant in November, 2018 at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. My recovery was hard as my bones were very soft and I was extremely run down. I lost my beautiful long hair, which was hard to see. However, in February, 2019 I found out I was in remission. Although I was in remission, I still faced pain throughout my joints and spine. Because of having herniated discs in my low back prior to being diagnosed with cancer, the myeloma ate away at the bone marrow in my discs leaving me in excruciating pain to the point I could not walk and had to crawl most of the time.

My husband, John and I moved to Florida over 6 years ago from New Jersey and we decided in the spring of 2019, I needed to go back to New Jersey and see my spine surgeon, Dr. George Naseef, who performed six cervical spine surgeries at various different times years ago prior to, for an evaluation. After meeting with my surgeon, it was determined I would need to have major spine surgery if I wanted to regain my quality of life. My spine surgery was scheduled for mid-September, 2019. As I was preparing for my surgery at home in Florida before heading back to New Jersey, I decided to reach out to the New Jersey Sharing Network. They were in charge of the recovery of, Joey’s organs and tissue after he passed away and I wanted to check if there was any possibility that some of my son’s bones were left in the bone bank. I knew it was a long shot because it had already been 2 years since, Joey, had passed away and the probability there would be anything left was slim. Jacqueline Salvatore, from the New Jersey Sharing Network who has also supported me since, Joey, passed away, said it was a long shot, as well, and in all her years of working at NJSN she has never been asked that question and was incredibly moved. She contacted, Lauralee Brown, from MTF Biologics which is the tissue bank where all of, Joey’s, tissue and bone were sent. Lauralee, made several calls to many people within her organization and she found out that, Joey, had saved 126 recipients through his gift of tissue and bone graft and that there were 3 pieces of bone grafts left in the bone bank, of which, 2 were a perfect match for what my spine surgeon needed for my surgery. When, Lauralee, called me with the news I cried tears of joy and happiness. I truly believe that, Joey, knew I would need him to save my quality of life and it was his was of saying “keep going mom, I got your back, you got this”. I had Joey’s back for 25 years and now he has mine. Even though, Joey, is not physically here, I know he is rallying around me, so I will never be alone and he has saved me in more ways than one. Joey, is a true hero to so many, but now he is my hero in every sense of the word.  He is the whispering strength behind me pushing me each day to live life to the fullest.

Though the past couple of years of heartache, pain and suffering, there is light for me to continue fighting and enjoying the things I love most; which one of them is riding horses.  I hope to be one day back in the show ring showing in Western Pleasure, knowing that, Joey, will always have my back. I will also be back on the water fishing with my husband, John, on his boat, on the gulf side of Florida watching the sunset, knowing, Joey is with us behind the beautiful rays.

I vowed to Joey, after he passed away, I would continue to keep his memory alive by honoring him for his selfless act of kindness through organ and tissue donation. The New Jersey Sharing Network has a 5k each year and I formed a team in honor of, Joey, for everyone who loved him to come together and pay tribute to him. Team JSAV33 will continue to represent my beautiful boy for many, many years to come. I am committed to do whatever I can to promote organ and tissue donation all because of a 17-year-old boy, who never thought twice about giving his precious gifts to someone in need. I have found peace and comfort in knowing my son’s legacy and memory will be remembered through organ and tissue donation. To us, Joey, will forever be our “angel of life” in more ways than anyone could ever know.

Joey, is and will always be my greatest accomplishment and my entire world. He will always be in my heart, back and never leave my mind.

#SENDINGITFORJOEY