WOW!

It's a simple word, WOW...  because there is no other way to express it!

This was our family picture taken at the event on Sunday

It wasn't easy to get everyone looking at the same time. This one is my favorite because even baby Julie is smiling. It's as if she knows how happy the event made all of us.

On Sunday we were overwhelmed with the outpouring of support. We had a really busy weekend...the fundraiser wasn't our only great news this weekend. My brother Joe and his girlfriend Lauren got engaged!!!!! They went to the pizza place where they had their first date. Everyone, including Lauren, were surprised! Lilly and I will have another LP in the family. Lilly Palumbo, Laurie Palumbo and very soon Lauren Palumbo. We may just start our own fan club! The three amigos move on over for the three LP's!  They have decided to have a Spring wedding. There is nothing like a nice spring wedding when all the flowers are in bloom and everything is fresh and new. With a little luck Dad will have a new heart for the special occasion! That would just be incredible and a true gift.

This group of people and so many more are part of our "dream team" Never in our wildest dreams did we anticipate the turnout that took place on Sunday. There were so many people there supporting Dad and our family. The best part was Dad was there to greet everyone! We were thrilled that he was well enough to join us :) 

The event was not just one day. The event was planned over 6 months! The blood, sweat and tears that went into this event made it the event of a lifetime.

Tammy and Marie Mastro came up with the idea six months ago. They approached Fr. Foley, the pastor of St. Anne's Church in Shrewsbury and asked if they could have a fundraiser for my Dad to help offset all of his medical bills and expenses. Fr. Foley not only agreed that they should have one, but, he jumped on the committee rolled up his sleeves and got to work!

The amount of planning and the logistics that went into making this a success was just AMAZING! Meetings were held at the church while other meetings took place at Leo's Restaurant and St. Vincent's Hospital. So many people from so many places came out to help. The response was overwhelming. From old neighbors who came back to the neighborhood to support Dad to our GIANT extended family. It was like a wonderful reunion. If I wanted to have a party and had no limit to the amount of people I could invite, it would be what Sunday was.

The food table and dessert tables were UNBELIEVABLE! There was SO much food. My Uncle Tony Mastro, Tammy and Marie's Dad, would have been so proud to see what Marie and Tammy did. Marie and so many people worked tirelessly in the kitchen all day. Actually, Marie made food for me Friday, Saturday and Sunday! I was VERY spoiled. I have so many food allergies and Marie made sure that there was something for me to eat everyday we were there!

Our youngest guests had a great time at the event :) This is my newest niece Julie and her cousin Maddie who is a few months older than her. They were so sweet.

We had a fantastic photographer Joseph Gonzalez-Dufresne. I am hoping to put a few photos from the event onto the blog with his permission. He took a lot of photos and I am very excited to see them all. Special thanks to Adam Towner for finding Joe and sending him our way. He was nice enough to take the day off and spend the day with us taking photos free of charge! Thanks Joe!

Lilly and Kylie took a cyber break at the event to catch up on Auntie's blog! Seriously they are 20 months and almost 3 and 1/2 and they already are iphone users. Apple eat your heart out...no pun intended!

There will never be enough hours in the day or days of the week to thank everyone who made Sunday a reality. The funds raised will be a huge relief from the bills that are amounting by the day. It amazes me that they can expect everyday people to pay the amounts listed on some of those bills. I know health care is expensive and they do cover a lot, but not enough. In order for a person to survive he must rely on the goodness and generosity of his family and friends to go on for another day. If it wasn't for the wonders of modern medicine, Dad would not have been with us Sunday. He is one of the lucky ones who has been receiving the best of care from some amazing doctors and nurses starting with Dr. Stephan Pezzella. He was Dad's doctor when he had his first heart attack all those years ago. He keep Dad going for more than 20 years before Dad's condition became one that he recognized was not treatable in Worcester and referred him to the good doctors of Brigham and Women's. 

Dad is doing pretty well now since his 10 day set back following Christmas. We spent new year's in the hospital but we made it home in time for my birthday, the Epiphany. The wise men didn't have a heart for Dad but they did move him up to the top of the list for two weeks. Dad is on level 1A status for two weeks! They moved him up because of everything that happened those last days of December.  Now more than ever we need your prayers for a new healthy heart to come in! If a heart becomes available in the next two weeks Dad will go in and get the ultimate gift. 

Please continue to keep Dad in your thoughts and prayers. We still need your prayers to keep us going. I can't wait until Dad gets a new heart and we can focus our prayers on someone else who needs a lot of prayers so we can give some back.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You from our whole hearts. The generosity people showed to our family this weekend is something that not everyone will be lucky enough to experience. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such love and friendship. It was so amazing to see all of the people there. There were people we haven't seen in a long time and they heard from someone who heard from someone and they came. I had past students and friends from as far back as elementary school who came back to support us! Thanks will never be enough but please know how thankful we are for all of you and we could NEVER make this journey without you.

Until Next Tuesday,

Laurie