By Richard F. Denno
Wouldn’t that be SPECTACULAR! Last October, Steven Everhart from New England Donor Services and myself were speakers at the Annual Session of the CT Prince Hall Freemasons. I went first, and Steve followed. At that time the Mega Millions Jackpot had grown to $1.5 BILLION (that’s right, not million but BILLION!) I asked Prince Hall’s MWGM David Pinkins, “Can I tell them?” Having no idea I was going to ask him this question, he quizzically replied, “Sure, Tell them.” I then said to the audience, “You’re all coming with me to Bermuda next May for FREE!” I instantly became the most popular person in the hall.
“Of course, I do have to win that Mega Millions prize to make good on my promise,” I said. Doing the math; taking the prize in one lump sum amount, after paying the taxes, I will end up with a paltry $400 Million prize” I said. How can someone get by on such a small amount of money? What followed next, proved very eye opening.
After inquiring about the children of the family of one woman in the audience, I asked “If you were the lucky winner of the $400 Million (net payout,) how much of that $400 million would you be willing to part with if it would provide your loved one with a lifesaving organ transplant? What wonderful precious moments would you share together if you and the family member had an additional 10-20 more years together? Wouldn’t you be so proud at their graduation, at their wedding, or the birth of their children. You could experience all those moments that make life so special. “
“All of it; the entire $400 million”, she replied. Since that day in October, I have asked that same question of over 100 people. The answer is ALWAYS the same, “All of it; the entire $400 million.” Facing the death of a loved one, who among us hasn’t looked to the heavens and pleaded to our Supreme Being, “PLEASE, let me have just (fill in the amount of years) more time! You can have everything I own. For those people, doesn’t that put the value of a lifesaving organ transplant at $400 million? Since none of these people have $400 million, isn’t that organ transplant actually priceless to them? Imagine being able to give the precious ‘gift of life’ to another, simply by going to www.registerme.org and becoming a donor. You wouldn’t even have to give up ‘your’ prize money.
More importantly, your kind donation will impact the lives of many in need of something that even $400 million can’t provide. Finally, if you do, by chance, become one of those lucky lottery jackpot winners, my email address is toursone@comcast.net. And don’t forget a generous donation to the New England Donor Services, to assist them in their efforts to increase donor awareness and register donors at www.registerme.org.