Testimonials

The impact of organ donation to me is: 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. Date of transplant: 12/20/2022 Age: 62

The impact of organ donation to me is: 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. Date of transplant: 12/20/2022 Age: 63

The impact of organ donation to me is: 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. Date of transplant: 12/20/2022 Age: 64

The impact of organ donation to me is: 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. Date of transplant: 5/30/2024 Age: 71

The impact of organ donation to me is:(Wyatt) it gave him a second chance at life, to live, to thrive, to be thankful every day he opens his eyes and to be so blessed to be given that chance.  Words can never express or convey the intense gratitude we have for Dawn, Wyatt’s donor. To love someone else as your own, to sacrifice for them, it changed all of our lives, not just Wyatt’s and saved our family. And to all donors, the incredible sacrifice and selflessness is the closest thing to Godlyness I can ever think of. I know they will all have a special seat in heaven for what they gave here on earth. Date of transplant: 7/28/2025 Age: 12   The impact of organ donation to me is: (Dawn) In February of 2025, when my friends 12 year old son got sick and needed a kidney, I didn’t even think twice about donating. I called NYU, who sent me a link to the questionnaire you need to fill out for them to consider you as a donor. Within a few days, they reached out to me to set up testing. In May, I went into NYC to NYU to do a day full of testing. From the start, I had a good feeling that a few days before we found out I was a match. I had a dream that I got a letter in the mail saying I was a match. 4 days later, I got the call we had been waiting for. I was a perfect match. People have asked me why I am donating. Well, why not? I watched my dad on hemodialysis for 21 years after a failed transplant from my mom. My brother is thriving from a transplant as well as a cousin of mine. My aunt donated her kidney to my uncle, and it lasted for 25 years. Why wouldn’t I want to give someone, especially a 12 year old, a chance to live a normal life. If I had more to give, I definitely would. Date of donation: 7/28/2025 Age: 48

The impact of organ donation to me is: At 67 years old, I found myself in need of a heart transplant. Years earlier, after a tragic accident, my family made the difficult decision to donate my son’s organs. At the time, it was an incredibly painful choice, but we believed it was the right thing to do. As a retired FDNY member, I spent my career helping others and never imagined that one day I would be the one in need of help. In March of 2025, I received a heart transplant. Because of a donor and their family’s selfless decision, I was given the opportunity to continue my life. Organ donation has had a profound impact on my family. We have experienced it both as donors and as recipients. It is a reminder of how one decision can save lives and leave a lasting legacy. Date of transplant: 3/26/2025 Age: 67

The impact of organ donation to me is: Gratitude! After receiving my liver transplant I had so much more to be thankful for. My donor and my donors family – Because of them, I have more time, more moments, and more memories to make with my family.   Thank you to Kristina and The Billy Moon Foundation for being part of the support I didn’t know I needed going through my Liver Transplant, both before and after! Your foundation has made me want to help others by spreading the importance of organ donation and sharing my own personal story! Date of transplant: 5/15/2025 Age: 42

The impact of organ donation is: Organ donation gave us an opportunity to honor Ed exactly how he would have wanted. In life he was always helping people without hesitation. Also, Ed said (jokingly) during his battle with glioblastoma that he wanted to live forever. The first thought I had when they told me he was an organ donor was, “You got your wish. It’s not forever but it’s close.” It is a way of keeping his memory alive through his impact.  I cannot begin to express the gratitude and relief we have for the Billy Moon Foundation for being there for us from the beginning of Ed’s organ donation and continue to support or family and keep Ed’s memory alive in this way. Date of donation: 10/17/2025 Age: 44

The impact of organ donation is: Giving Katy 14+ more years with her family creating beautiful memories.  Thank you for spreading the awareness for just how important organ donation is! Without organ donation our family wouldn’t have had 14+ more years of memories with Katy!  Katy was a two time double lung transplant recipient and also a kidney transplant recipient. She was an advocate for organ donation. Katy passed away on May 10, 2025. #OOMPHFORKATY #OOMPHFROMKATY Date of transplant: 11/11/2011 Age: 27

The impact of organ donation to me is: (Joseph Sr) The long term impact of the transplant is living a long healthy life and watching my children raise their families and playing with my Grandchildren. The short term impact is feeling 100% better and not having to be treated several times a week with dialysis. To the Billy Moon Foundation: Being in need of major organ transplant can be a very lonely and desperate position to be in. In addition to being in physical pain, there is the mental anguish and fear of financial ability to be able to be a recipient. Your foundation addresses all of these issues and supplies the much needed support, taking much of the fear out of the donor/recipient process.  It is an honor and privilege to be part of the Billy Moon Foundation and help others receive the support that is needed at their darkest hour. Thank you for the opportunity to serve. Date of transplant: 8/11/2025 Age: 67   The impact of organ donation to me is: (Joseph Jr) The donation of my kidney to my father allowed me to have a direct and immediate impact on his life. I realized very quickly as we started the process with NYU Langone that many people were not in such a fortunate position to have a living donor, awaiting a transplant can be a very long and lonely time. There was never a doubt in my mind of the path I wanted to take to give him a better quality of life. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to give back to someone who has given so much to me in my life. To the Billy Moon Foundation: I started in a very different place than where I ended up in our organ donation journey. A typical stubborn fireman who wanted to do everything on his own and not ask for help. It did not take long to realize I could not have been more wrong about my situation. Going from caregiver to patient overnight left me in a mental and physical state I was not preparedfor. The work this foundation does to support its donors and recipients cannot be understated. The assistance needed is in all aspects of recovery. Many of which we may not be prepared for or expecting. There can never be too much support in organ donation. Continue to grow and expand your reach to as many organ donors and recipients as possible. Support them in their time of need. Giving and receiving life is the greatest gift there is. Your organization is at the heart of that mission. Thank you. Date of donation: 8/11/2025 Age: 40    

The impact of organ donation to me is: (Irene) Life! Being able to continue living life and watching my children grow. To the Billy Moon Foundation: Thank you! Thank you for bringing awareness! Thank you for supporting donors and recipients in need! Thank you for turning your tragedy into miracles for others!  My family truly appreciates your support and generosity during my surgery and recovery, your family made a difference we are forever grateful for. Date of transplant: 1/29/2025 Age: 50   The Impact of Organ Donation: (Dana) What it gave me in return.  Last year, I made the decision to donate a kidney. At the time, my life was already shifting in ways I hadn’t planned for – I was in the beginning stages of a divorce. It felt like everything familiar was unraveling, and I was being forced to face a version of my life I never imagined. Choosing to become a living donor wasn’t about fixing that pain. It wasn’t a distraction or an escape. But in a strange and profound way, it became one of the most grounding and transformative experiences of my life.  Organ donation is often talked about in terms of what you give-an organ, a second chance, more time and while that is undeniably true, what isn’t talked about enough is what it gives back to the donor.  For me, it gave clarity – At a time when so much felt out of my control, this was a decision that was entirely mine. It reminded me that even when life feels uncertain, I still have the power to choose who I am and how I show up in the world. I chose to be someone who gives, even when I was hurting.  It gave me perspective- When you’re a part of something that quite literally saves a life, it shifts the way you see everything else. The things that once felt overwhelming started to feel smaller. Not insignificant but more manageable. I began to understand what truly matters, and what doesn’t and maybe most unexpectedly, it gave me a sense of purpose during a time I felt lost.  Organ donation didn’t just impact the person who received my kidney. It changed me in ways I’m still discovering. It taught me more about compassion, resilience and the quiet strength it takes to give without expecting anything in return.  In the hardest seasons of life, we are still capable of creating light for others and ourselves. To everyone at the Billy moon Foundation,  What you do matters more than words can fully capture. Last year I became a living kidney donor during one of the most difficult and uncertain times in my life. I was navigating the beginning of a divorce, and everything around me felt like it was shifting. But in the middle of that, I found something steady through this process-something bigger than myself.  What your foundation provides – education, guidance and support is not just helpful, its essential. Because organ donations not only a medical journey, its an emotional one, a mental one, and for many a deeply personal one. The care and awareness you bring to families walking through that experience makes a difference in ways that last far beyond the surgery itself.  For donors like me and recipients and their families, this journey can feel overwhelming at times. But knowing there are organizations like yours creating understanding, compassion and community it changes everything.  You are not just supporting transplants. You are supporting people in some of the most vulnerable, life changing moments they will ever face and for that, I am deeply grateful.  Thank you for the lives you help save, the families you help guide and the hope you continue to give every single day. One more thing to share – Organ donation is often seen as a single moment, a single decision. But for me it became a turning point in my life. I went into it thinking I was giving something to someone else. I didn’t realize how much it would give back to me.  I think that’s what makes this work so powerful. Its not just about saving lives it’s about transforming them. Not only for recipients, but for donors, families and everyone connected to the journey.  So, if there’s anyone who is unsure, or who has never thought about organ donation before, I would just say-learn about it. Ask questions, be open to it because one decision has the power to change more lives than you can imagine, including your own.  The Billy Moon Foundation-Please keep doing what you’re doing, because what you create isn’t just awareness… its impact, its connection and its hope.  This experience didn’t just change someone else’s life-It changed mine. Date of donation: 1/29/2025 Age: 44

The impact of the kidney organ donation to me is:  A phenomenal feeling because, there are days that I thought I was going to give up on life ,there is also days when I felt lost because losing my original kidney to high blood pressure and cancer was hard enough it self to go through, but eventho I’m fighting the battles day by day I’m just so grateful to get a 2nd chance. But thanks to my donor I get one more chance at life to live and breathe and as a single dad im thankful that i get to see my daughter and my son growing up on this earth, so it’s a blessing to have a second chance to be with love ones.  The Words i have for the billy moon foundation is That they are very helpful in every way possible. Date of transplant: 2/25/2025 Age: 40  

The impact of organ donation to me is: that I can continue to be a husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend. It truly means everything to me. The gift of organ donation meant the opportunity for me to be here, healthy and able to continue living my life.  To the Billy Moon Foundation: Thank you.  The work you are doing makes such a huge difference to those who unfortunately find themselves in the same or similar situation to the one I was in. Date of transplant: 12/30/2024 Age: 36

The impact of organ donation to me is: Having received this gift I am know able to live a long and happy.life .I am now able to enjoy life with my family and can worry less about my future health.  There are really no words that can express my gratitude and love for the Billy Moon foundation. The Billy Moon foundation welcomed me with open arms and provided me the miracle of a new kidney and new lease on life !! I will be forever grateful to the Billy Moon foundation. Date of transplant: 3/9/2026 Age: 68

The impact of organ donation to me is:  At 13 years old, I was dying. My life was slipping away before it had really even begun. And then, in the middle of that fear and uncertainty, a young boy someone I will never forget, became my angel. Because of him, I received a heart transplant, and with it, something so much bigger than survival.  He gave me a life to live.  Not just a second chance but years. Days I never would have seen. Weeks, months, and decades I was never promised. Because of organ donation, I grew up. I experienced love, laughter, heartbreak, healing all the ordinary, beautiful moments that make a life.  At such a young age, I learned something most people don’t learn until much later: that strangers can change your entire world. That kindness can exist even in the middle of unimaginable loss. That one family’s decision, in their darkest moment, can become someone else’s light.  Now, nearly 29 years later, I find myself facing another chapter. I need a second heart and a kidney transplant. It’s a reality that’s hard but it’s also one I face with hope, because I’ve lived the miracle before.  And I know what’s possible.  I don’t take a single day for granted. I don’t measure life in big milestones I measure it in moments. More days. More time. More love.  I want more time with Ron. More memories. More laughter. More of this life that was once given to me so selflessly.  Organ donation isn’t just about saving a life.  It’s about giving someone the chance to truly live one.  And I am living proof of that. To the Billy Moon Foundation: Thank you for all you do !!!! It takes one person to change a life and Billy is a donor angel who gave the gift of LIFE !!!! The greatest give you can give someone and thank you for helping to Spread awareness for the cause. Date of transplant: 7/26/1996 Age: 13

The impact of organ donation to me is: First and foremost, I would like to thank God, the Donor and his family for a second chance at life. I got another year of life with my wife, my kids and granddaughters, I got to see my first Grandson Richard Thomas be born. My Son Robert and our future daughter in law Dana are getting married in September. I’m a truly blessed with all the support from the FDNY, Rescue 4, Family and friends, FDNY Family Assistance. To the Billy Moon Foundation: Thank You from all of us for all that you have done and continue to do. Date of transplant: 7/13/2025 Age: 64

The impact of organ donation to me is: A way to extend the gift of life To the Billy Moon Foundation: Continue spreading awareness and helping giving others a second chance Date of donation: 2/16/2022 Age: 33

The impact of organ donation to me is: When I was diagnosed with an incurable lung disease in my early 30’s, I thought it was a death sentence. I’d never see my little kids grow up, graduate high school or even go to college. Because someone said yes to organ donation it’s time to set some new goals because after 12 years those little ones have graduated high school one is a fireman like his dad and the other is in college studying to be a teacher. None of this would be possible for me without the generosity of my donor and their family. To the Billy Moon Foundation: Keep on spreading the good word of organ donation. So many people don’t have this important conversation until it’s too late. People need to know how important this mission is in saving (and improving the quality of life!) tens of thousands of lives every year. It’s a gift that truly costs nothing but means everything. Date of transplant: 11/11/2014 Age: 39

The impact of organ donation to me is: My recovery was a huge success. It enabled me to see the things I would have otherwise missed. My granddaughter began calling me poppa for the first time, I saw my 40 th year anniversary with my beautiful wife. I found out last week I will have a grandson this September. I saw my oldest son become a Fire Chief, enjoying the success of my younger son in his business. And I will soon see my daughter receive an award for teaching at her awards night. I will live each day for the rest of my life remembering the man who saved mine. To the Billy Moon Foundation: I am so grateful that the Billy Moon Foundation was formed. Kristina is an amazing person who puts her heart and soul into this journey in the name of a great man who passed away in the line of duty. A truly unselfish man who lived his life saving others, and now continues to do so. Thank you Billy, and all those who put themselves on a list to be a donor… You are heroes to us all. Date of transplant: 7/6/2025 Age: 66

The impact of organ donation to me is: From Tim, Husband of Adrian –  Making a difference and helping people continue to live their lives. To the Billy Moon Foundation:  Thank you for being there for my family and I at a time of heartbreak. Date of donation: 4/23/2025 Age: 42