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Recipients honor organ donors for impact
Bill Pacak said his liver transplant ‘allows me to live life.’
YOUNGSTOWN — A flag will fly in front of St. Elizabeth Health Center for a month honoring organ donors — people who were as generous and giving in death as they were in life, their families say.
“I still miss her a lot. One of the hardest things is that I never got to say goodbye,” said Harry Ponikvar, 77, of his wife, Jane, who died unexpectedly June 27 at age 73.
“But, I know donating her organs was what she wanted, and I know that the people who received them are happier because she was always so happy and the sweetest and most lovely lady,” Ponikvar said of the woman he was married to for 54 years.
Ponikvar, of Poland, said his wife had talked occasionally about donating her organs and was designated an organ donor on her driver’s license. However, he was not aware that she had registered at St. Elizabeth’s to be an organ donor.
He said a representative from LifeBanc talked with him and his family and “made it more comfortable than if you had to face it alone. Donating her organs never bothered me. It was her request.”
LifeBanc is the designated nonprofit organ- and tissue-recovery agency for Northeast Ohio. St. Elizabeth’s is among six area hospitals recognized by LifeBanc for helping to save more lives by increasing the number of organ donors and the number of organs recovered.
Harry Ponikvar, along with his daughter, Nancy Frasco, and granddaughter, Jayna Frasco, all of Poland, were among a number of donor families who participated in Friday’s service.
“It was difficult to wait an extra day while they kept her on life support, but it makes me happy that somebody else is able to enjoy life because of my mother,” said Nancy Frasco.
“My mom always said, ‘If I can’t use them, why not pass them along?’ Even if its for research, hopefully it will help someone down the road,” she said.
“I know if something happens to one of my children, I hope there will be a donor out there,” Nancy Frasco said.
Tom Bresko, 55, spoke of his fianc e, Mindy Henning, whom he described as his soul mate and life partner.
“Her wish to donate her organs kind of put the exclamation mark on how she lived her life,” Bresko said.
He said the couple had traveled all over the world together, and when they visited developing nations, they took along things such as pens, crayons and balloons to give to the children.
In Nepal, Henning stopped the cab to give a little boy some crayons. The boy was overjoyed to receive what was a treasure to him.
“I looked at her, and she was in tears,” Bresko said of his fiancee.
They had been together for 10 years and planned to marry after Bresko retired from his position as director of recreation and programs at Mill Creek MetroParks, where Henning worked as a naturalist.
“I kissed her goodbye in the morning, and she was struggling when I got home,” Bresko said.
Henning had surgery but died May 25, 2008, three days after suffering a brain aneurysm.
Her parents came from Michigan and “we talked about it [her wish to donate her organs]. We decided it’s what she wanted, and we’re doing it,” Bresko said.
He said LifeBanc “showed us a lot [of] compassion and made us realize our loved one is a hero. It makes you feel good knowing that someone’s life has been extended.”
A scholarship fund has been established in Henning’s memory to be awarded to a student of environmental or outdoor education. Contributions to the scholarship fund may be sent to the MetroParks, 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Road, P.O. Box 596, Canfield 44406-0596, with checks payable to the Mill Creek Park Foundation and “Mindy Henning Scholarship” in the memo line or an accompanying letter.
“I hope one day I’ll be able to put my head against the chest of the man who received her heart and hear her heart beat again,” Bresko said.
On the other side of the organ donor story is organ recipient Bill Pacak, 60, of Campbell, who received a liver transplant April 8, 1998. Pacak’s wife, Mariann Pacak, is director of heart and vascular services at St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Bill Pacak, who served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, was ill for two years and on the list to receive a liver for a year before he had the life-saving transplant.
He said he is very grateful to organ donors. “I believe it is one of the bravest, most charitable of acts.”
He said he was “reborn” on April 8, and although he is not as active as he was before he became ill, the transplant “allows me to live life.”
Since the transplant, he has finished college and seen his wife and daughters, Christine Andrews, of Virginia, and Marcia Pacak, of Boardman, graduate from college. He has been around for the marriage of one daughter and the birth of two grandchildren.
He shows his gratitude by volunteering for LifeBanc and speaking before various groups about organ donation and is active with Disabled American Veterans Chapter 2 in Youngstown. He is also commander of DAV District 7.
He thanked the donor families, “on behalf of myself and the thousands of other tissue and organ recipients for extending our lives, for your gallant efforts.”