A man in Ohio tragicallly lost his life. On that day, a young man in Boston got a second chance at life. This is a tribute to a family who was touched so deeply by the generous gift that they had been given, that they would make it their life's work to help other families that are dealing with pre and post transplantation. This is also a tribute to one man who, in his death, has touched countless lives. In February of 2000, Ruth and Skip Picarello were told that their only son, Anthony, had suffered acute liver damage, and had 24-48 hours to live unless he received a liver transplant. Thankfully, their prayers were answered and a match was found. They were overwhelmed with joy but their thoughts soon turned to the donor family who would be overwhelmed with sorrow. They were determined to find a way to honor the man that had given their son "the gift of life" and to find a way to express the magnitude of their appreciation for the blessing that had been bestowed upon them. Shortly after Anthony's transplant, Skip and Ruth started a non-profit organization, the Anthony Picarello Foundation (www.ap-foundation.org) dedicated to raising awareness of organ and tissue donations and organ transplants and to provide financial assistance and support to individuals or their families facing a life saving transplant. The "Peace of Mind Fund", the first of it's kind, was established to provide financial assistance to qualified individuals and their families who are awaiting a lifesaving transplant and are experiencing financial distress. Since 2000, the Foundation has grown from assisting 10 needy families a year to an overwhelming 67 families in 2007! In the meantime, Anthony is living a very happy and healthy life due to the transplant. Ruth, Skip and the Picarello family were able to celebrate with Anthony at his wedding in 2005 and witness the birth of his first child in August of 2006. Although the hole in the hearts of the family members that lost their loved one in February of 2000 can never be filled, they have filled the hearts of so many with their generosity. To donate an organ is to continue life.WWW.AP-FOUNDATION.ORG Check out our tribute on the National Donor Memorial http://www.donormemorial.org/tribute.asp?id=724