Transplant Patient Earned 28 Olympic-Style Medals, Donated Her Organs To Save Others

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — At age 20, many young adults are in the midst of passionately pursuing a college degree or enjoying a full-time job, or even fighting for their country in the Armed Forces.

But for Emily Biondi of Ellicott City, turning 20 brought the heartbreaking diagnosis of kidney failure.

Photo submitted by the Biondi family

Biondi spent nine months on dialysis before it was discovered that her dad, Norm Biondi, 67, was a match. They both underwent transplant surgery with Emily snapping back speedily.

"Recovery for both of us went fairly well. Emily was up and bouncing around almost immediately. It took me a few days longer. We were on different floors in the hospital and she would visit me. She made me watch her eat a sub sandwich and joked around. She was a force of nature," he said.

Photo submitted by the Biondi family

The transplant saved Emily Biondi's life, but sadly, she passed away 12 years later.

While Biondi graced this earth, she shone brilliantly on stage with the Timonium Dinner Theatre, acting in such productions as The Producers, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Fiddler on the Roof, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Little Shop of Horrors, Hello Dolly, Anything Goes, Curtains and more.

"Emily was a bright light. She had a glow that lightened up the entire room like a lightsaber. She was a hard worker and it carried over into her theater life. A constant professional," Biondi's friend Lou Otero said.

Photo submitted by the Biondi family

Not one to let her diagnosis get her down, Biondi was heavily active in the Donate Life Transplant Games of America and World Games, Olympic-style sporting events for recipients of organ transplants and living donors. Between 2006 and 2014, she earned 28 medals.

"Emily’s transplant athletic career started with Team Maryland at the 2006 U.S. Transplant Games held in Louisville, Kent. Both the U.S. Games and World Games are modeled after the Olympics, showcasing successful outcomes from organ transplantation and continuing to advocate organ donation. Emily’s first event in Louisville was the 5K where she earned a silver medal. She absolutely beamed from the medal stand and her track & field career was off to a fast start with four medals in Louisville including gold in the long jump," her dad said.

Photo submitted by the Biondi family

Biondi went on to participate in Pennsylvania in 2008 earning one gold and four silver medals; 2010 in Wisconsin earning two gold, two silver and one bronze medal; in 2012 in Michigan where she earned one gold, two silver and one bronze; in 2014 in Texas where she captured one gold, one silver and three bronze).

"Pittsburgh was Emily’s debut as a high jumper. She won gold and established a U.S. Games high jump age bracket record that stands to this day. Nobody ever beat Emily in the high jump in the U.S. Games," Norm Biondi said. "Emily attended two World Games as part of Team USA. In 2007 in Bangkok, Emily won gold in the women’s 200-meter race, going from fifth position to first in the last 20 meters in an exciting finish beating Ireland and United Kingdom. Emily also took silver in the long jump. In 2009, Gold Coast, Australia, was Emily’s last and most definitive World Games. Emily debuted in discus, taking silver. She took silver in the high jump finishing between two Netherlands competitors."

The miracle of organ transplantation even allowed one of Biondi's organs to be donated more than a decade year, ultimately saving a woman's life and giving the gift of sight to another person.

"There are very few conditions that automatically disqualify someone from donating their organs after their death. It is a medical team at the time of one’s passing that ultimately makes that determination. An organ that was already donated would likely not be donated again, but there is nothing to say that any of the other organs from that person would be unable to be recovered for transplant. We encourage anyone regardless of their health status to register as a donor if they wish to," Norm Biondi said.

Photo submitted by the Biondi family

Emily Biondi also spoke out about organ donation, advocating and registering people as donors. Now with only her memories to cling to, her family runs the Emily’s Gift scholarship program in her name and participates in the annual Donate Life Family Fun Run 5K as The Biondi Bunch, a group comprised of her family and friends. They have participated every year since her passing and in 2021, engaged in the event virtually from both Maryland and locations like Florida.

The Family Fun Run is hosted by The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland (The LLF), the state’s organ procurement organization that facilitates organ, eye and tissue donation as well as advocacy, family support and public and professional education. While many lives are saved every day, there are an estimated 2,600 Marylanders waiting for a life-saving transplant. By registering as an organ, eye and tissue donor, one person has the potential to save eight lives through organ donation and enhance more than 75 lives through tissue donation.

Individuals are able to donate to The LLF in Biondi's honor here. The scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students who are currently or will be majoring in acting, dance, musical theater, vocal performance or another performing arts major, as well as undergraduate students who qualify by being organ transplant recipients, living donors or members of donor families.