Because of a generous donor I am alive! My name is Mari, and on June 14th, 2016 I was blessed with the gift of life- I received a new heart from a donor and their family. In 2015, my role in life was being a mom to my beautiful boys Andrew & Matthew, wife to my husband Jim of 28 years, a daughter, a sister, Aunt and friend to many. I was an active woman, I liked to jog, hike with my dog Marley, boat and enjoying life to its fullest. I noticed I was feeling sluggish and I was not breathing very well. I attended many appointments with various doctors. Then, on June 13, 2015, I had my first EKG which detected my heart was in bad shape. Because of the condition my heart was in, they rushed me to the ER. For the next year it was specialist after specialist, test after test, many different biopsies and many kinds of medication to keep me alive, all while the tests and biopsies came back inconclusive. As each day passed my heart grew weaker and weaker. Little did I know or any doctors know, I had an extremely rare auto immune disease called Sarcoidosis, which was killing my heart. Without a gift of life from a donor, I would not make it much longer. On June 13, at 10:10pm I received the call that they had found a match for me. It is a bitter sweet story, another person passed and I have been given another chance at life to fulfill my dreams. Each day I give thanks for this blessing by thanking my donor for this opportunity to love, laugh and live. My family and I would like to say thank you to all of those who are donors today!