Family Turns Heartbreak Into Pride In Camden County

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP — For nearly a decade, Trish Reichert and her family have had to handle the grief that comes with losing two family members in less than 6 weeks.

The first family member to pass was Trish’s 23-year-old son, who died in his sleep, according to Trish.

“Gary had just started a job and his life seemed to be doing good, but that didn’t last long,” Trish told Patch.

Then 6 weeks later, her 55-year-old brother-in-law passed away.

“Bill was a talker, he loved his Budweiser and his steaks,” she said.

Years earlier, Gary had checked the organ donor box on his driver’s license, according to Trish. Upon Gary’s death, several of his organs were donated to individuals who needed them, some of the approximately 2,600 New Jersey residents who need a life-saving organ or tissue transplant, according to Gift of Life, an organization that raises organ donation awareness.

Trish said Bill’s family was emotionally moved when it heard of Gary’s donation and after he died, they allowed his bones and tissue to be donated to some of those who needed them.

Inspired by her son and brother-in-law’s decisions, Trish, who lives in Blackwood, looked for a way to let others know about the importance of donating organs.

That search led her to Donor Dash — the largest awareness and fundraising event for Gift of Life, a nationwide organization that seeks to raise organ donation awareness.

So, for nearly a decade, the Reichert family has channeled the sadness of losing two loved ones in rapid succession into raising about $4,000 for Gift of Life. Half of the participating family members are on Team G$ — Gary’s nickname, according to Trish — and the other half are on Team Bill.

The family’s engagement in Donor Dash has increased their family pride, Trish said.

“You can't wallow in your grief forever,” she said. “This event is a tiny little rainbow into our lives that allows us to remember, Gary, to remember Bill and to be around other people that know how we feel, and still made the same decisions that we did at that time.”

On-site registration for this year’s Donor Dash starts Sunday at 6 a.m. on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, according to Gift of Life’s website.

“Through the dash, we honor the legacy of those who gave the gift of life, celebrate the lives saved by organ donation and advocate for the children and adults currently waiting for a second chance at life,” Rick Hasz, President and CEO of Gift of Life, told Patch.

Participants can engage in either a 3K, 5K or 10K event, Hasz added.

Those who cannot participate in Donor Dash or are unable to make a financial donation can do something that costs nothing and takes less than a minute, according to Hasz: They can check ‘yes’ on the part of their driver’s license application that asks about organ donations or register online at www.donors1.org.

“Organ donation enhances hundreds of lives,” she said in the interview. “Besides, you can’t take your organs with you.”

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