Recipient

Life teaches us, “It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop.”  These are some of the values that Neal Bira lives by. After suffering a devastating heart attack in 2006, Neal was told he would need a lifesaving heart transplant.

Prior to being placed on the transplant list, Neal had no knowledge of the organ donation process. It was only months later that he received the Gift of Life through donation. He is now an amazing 15 years post-transplant.

Shortly after receiving this gift, Neal (who is Jewish) had the privilege of meeting the donor family, his “new (Dominican) family.” Neal met with Jeffrey De Jesus, (the donor’s son) of Sallustino De Jesus. The meeting for Neal was very emotional in which Jeffrey stated, “my dad is a hero.” It was these five words that forever changed Neal’s life. It was these five words that prompted Neal to start the Organ Donor Awareness Foundation.

The goal for creating the Organ Donor Awareness Foundation was to increase organ donor awareness, raise money for education, life’s necessities, and to provide support for the children and families of “the heroes,” the organ donors.

Neal’s focus is on the organ donor families, which he calls the “real heroes.” Neal quoted, “it’s not about me, people like me, we survive, its 100% about the families in making sure that they are taken care of.” Through his hard work, the Organ Donor Awareness Foundation has become a common name in the transplant community. Yearly the foundation hosted an annual golf tournament with an auction and dinner. In 2015, as a partner with the Miami Marlins, he created Organ Donor Awareness Day. During the game a video was played which informed the public about eye and tissue donation. For several years the foundation provided teddy bears to donor families and assisted with funeral costs to families that are not financially stable.

One of the highlights about his organization is that they were able to provide Jeffrey (the donor son) a full scholarship to culinary school. Jeffrey was able to graduate and subsequently partner with one of New York City’s renowned chefs.

Neal is not only known as a transplant recipient, but as a person who has dedicated his life to helping those who saved him, the donors. His hard work by creating the Organ Donor Awareness Foundation filled a big void in the donation community.