As the recipient of a life saving heart from the name sake of this foundation, I am truly blessed and so thankful with my continued life. This could only happen when fellow selfless humans, while alive, leave a directive to donate their life saving organs.

The Billy Moon Foundation is a wonderful and proactive effort to help spread the benefits of organ donation. This Foundation is the extension of Billy’s selfless act and will hopefully encourage all to elect to become an organ donor…allowing others to continue their lives. 

As a recipient of an organ transplant, the overwhelming emotion I have is being forever humbled by the selflessness of the donor and their family. While their lives have been upended by an unexpected tragedy, the recipient’s life is returned to them with an organ transplant. Not a minute of any day will go by without being returned to the day of the “phone call” indicating an organ is available. Each subsequent day is a cherished gift.

The circumstances of receiving an organ donation from a fellow FDNY firefighter were extraordinary. Billy Moon had made a decision to be an organ donor and his family had the strength and fortitude to see this through under the most trying of times. Myself and my family are continually in awe of this family. 

A foundation supporting organ recipients and donors, is vitally important. Not everyone in this precarious situation has the resources and support necessary to successfully travel this difficult path. Many of us may take this for granted because our situation is not reflected in the hardships of those without support and the limited financial means they may be experiencing. 

 A first step is ensuring that each of us are listed as organ donors.

Hello, my name is Terrence Jordan. My wife Theresa and I are the proud parents of our blended family which consists of seven children and ten grandchildren. I am a retired Lieutenant from the New York City Fire Department, unexpectedly made to resign after 20+ years of dedicated service, due to the onset of severe pulmonary injuries caused by exposure at the World Trade Center site on 9/11/2001 and in the weeks thereafter. My pulmonary disease became progressively worse over time, and I was forced to become dependent on a large assortment of medications and the use of oxygen 24/7. I experienced a dramatic decline in health the last couple of years, with the severity of my struggle occurring at the end of September 2022. At this point I could honestly say I felt like I fell off a cliff. By that time, I was spending most of my time confined to my home, hooked up to my oxygen concentrator machine.

I became very disheartened after hearing that I could be at the end stage, since all prior treatments were no longer working. At this point I was now considered a double lung transplant candidate. After my transplant, thanks to Billy Moon, the next day, I was extubated and soon breathing on my own after more than 10 years.

The fact that I was given new life by a fellow New York City Firefighter and his wife left me overwhelmed with emotion. As the recovery has been so successful, I felt confident to set a goal to participate in the Tunnel to Towers Walk/Run, and I was successful in completing the 5K walk. Even more symbolic was spending this day with my family members joined by Kristina Moon, and honoring Billy for his miraculous gift of life.

I will be forever grateful to Billy & Kristina. I’ve been given a new lease on life: I could say I feel 20 years younger, and I cannot even describe how it feels to be free of oxygen equipment and all that entails. Life is good, and I am blessed to share it with my wife, children, grandchildren and many friends. This experience has really opened my eyes to organ donation. I think it is tremendously important to have started a foundation which gives everyone an idea of the steps which are taken to sign up for organ donation as well as the success stories which are an inevitable result of this action. I applaud Kristina for taking this initiative as there certainly needs to be more awareness on this crucial topic. My wife and I are committed to joining Kristina in this endeavor, and assist in whatever way we can to bring this awareness to everyone’s attention in the hopes of saving more lives.

As a NYC Firefighter for 35 1/2 years I was used to helping anyone at any time. But when it came to me needing help, I found it hard to ask for it. Until I confided in a brother firefighter that I was in stage 5 kidney failure. He listened to my concerns and fears. Yes, fear that I was holding in. He then said to me, I'm going to tell you something Kevin. If you don't ask for help you wont get it.

So I took what he said to heart and started telling close friends about my condition. I was amazed that they all responded positively and supported me emotionally. I went to the kidney transplant center at North Shore Hospital and entered the program they have. They gave me lots of information about transplants and dispelled many rumors that people say and are not really so. It opened my eyes to the fact that I could receive a transplant. I thought I was too old to be considered for a transplant. Not the case at all. I know there were thousands of people waiting for a transplant and I was just another. But if you let people know you need help It can change everything, and it did for me. I have been blessed through kindness and giving someone a second chance. It has made a believer out of me.