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Turning tragedy to triumph
Known as Ali to her family and friends, she was a bright, athletic, multitalented young woman who had plans to attend Roberts Wesleyan College. She would have donned her collegiate cap and gown and joined her classmates at the 2007 commencement ceremony May 12 in Rochester. Ten days later, she would have celebrated her 22nd birthday with the friends and family who were such a big part of her life. But Ali never made it to Roberts Wesleyan. She never made it to her high school graduation at Williamsville South. Ali never saw her 18th birthday. The party the Gerlachs are planning isn't to celebrate Ali's graduation that wasn't - it is to celebrate her life that was.
The Gerlach family will host "Ali's Rally Uncorked - An International Wine Experience" in honor of the late teen from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday, May 24 at the Audubon Grill, 500 Maple Road, Williamsville. Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Web site www.alisrally.org Getting to know Ali Ali was the model of success. A senior in high school, Ali was an athlete. She excelled at softball as the left fielder for the Amherst Lightning, was a star volleyball player for the WNY Mizuno Storm and excelled in bowling as a member of the Williamsville South squad. She was a scholar, preparing for her career at Roberts Wesleyan with the hope to someday work in the food industry. But above all, those who knew Ali said she was a wonderful person with a big heart and a gentle personality. Keith Farszmil, one of Ali's closest friends, said there was something special about the teenager that made her stand out. "Ali lit up the room the moment she walked in," said Farszmil, who designed the Web site for the upcoming Ali's Rally, and said it was something small he could do to honor his friend. "When you have a best friend like Ali, you wonder how you got so lucky," he said. Tragedy strikes Jan. 25, 2003 started out like any other Saturday for Ali. It was the day before Super Bowl XXXVII, and the family was making plans to attend a Super Bowl party at a family friend's house the next day. Ali told her dad she wasn't feeling well, but he said there was no indication of the severity of what was to come. Ali returned from babysitting late Saturday night, and her dad knew something was seriously wrong. "She came in dragging her leg, and her arm was limp," he said. "She was basically paralyzed on the left side of her body." Her parents rushed her to the hospital, and it was determined the 17-year-old had suffered a stroke. Further testing uncovered an incredibly rare disease known as Moya Moya. "After Ali was diagnosed, we did some research and found out that it is a disease that affects only one in two million people (in the United States) and is most common in Asian females under 12," Randy said. Moya Moya is caused by the blockage of arteries at the base of the brain. In Ali's case, those blocked arteries led to the initial stroke as well as a massive stroke a week later, one from which the teen would not recover. A steady stream of well-wishers, friends, family and classmates were by Ali's bedside throughout the week. Ali's mother, Claudia, said that despite her circumstances, Ali was optimistic. "Through it all she was very upbeat." Even as things got worse and Ali began to have severe headaches, she still held out hope of a full recovery. Her mom was by Ali's side through her final night and said her daughter talked with her about hoping to return to her volleyball team before season's end. "We talked about the beach, she talked about our family vacations to Florida, and only when her headaches got really severe did she say she was scared," Claudia said. Then, in the middle of the night, with Ali's condition worsening, the doctors came to take her for more testing. For Claudia, it was the last time she would see her daughter awake. "I got to kiss her and tell her I loved her before they took her away. The next time I saw her, she was in a coma." It was at that point, with recovery no longer a possibility, the doctors approached the family to ask about organ and tissue donation. "As a family, we had talked about organ donation," Randy said. "Alison's mother had talked about it, and Ali said, 'If anything ever happens to me, I would definitely want to do that (donate her organs).'" For the Gerlach family, the possibility that others could benefit from their loss helped ease the pain. "For us, it was a very quick decision to donate," Randy said, adding, "It's a decision Ali really made on her own." The gift of life At approximately 2 a.m. on Feb. 2, Alison Gerlach died. Within 48 hours, her organs would be transplanted into people all over the state. In death, Ali was giving life. "Her heart went to an 11-year-old girl, one kidney to a 10-year-old boy from Buffalo, her lungs to a 42-year-old mother from New York City," Randy said. But there was one more life that would be forever changed by Ali's death. Maryann, who lives in Lancaster, and asked that her last name be used, suffered with diabetes for most of her life. Since 2001, with her kidneys failing, Maryann found herself hooked to a dialysis machine 3 times a week just to survive. "It (dialysis) wasn't a real good way to live," Maryann said. She knew she needed a kidney transplant if she had any hope of resuming a normal life. The doctors told Maryann that in her condition, a new kidney would only last about 10 years unless she also had a pancreas transplant. Unlike a kidney, a pancreas can only come from a living donor, so the chance to receive both organs seemed like a distant possibility. Then, one families tragedy offered Maryann a second chance at life. "I got the call saying there were both organs available, and I had the surgery the next day." The team of doctors that removed Ali's pancreas and one of her kidney's transplanted life back into the Lancaster woman who had been suffering for so many years. Four years later, with dialysis a thing of the past, Maryann reflected back on her experience. "It's like having a whole new life. I am a completely new woman." In a surreal moment of fate, Maryann's father was reading the newspaper, and saw Ali's story. They put two and two together, and Maryann made a phone call to the Gerlach family that changed her life forever. After speaking with Ali's parents, in what Maryann calls "the best phone call I ever made," they made plans for her to attend the first Ali's Rally in October 2003. "I was so thankful for what they did for me --a complete stranger. I didn't know what to say...I was at a complete loss." Maryann said there were a lot of tears that day at the bowling alley as she learned about Ali from those who knew her and loved her. Alison was an amazing girl, and they (the Gerlachs) are an incredible family. They have given me another chance at my life...I'm 45 and I feel like I'm 20." For Ali's dad Randy, Maryann is a living reminder of the impact his daughter made on those left behind. "Every time I hug Maryann, I am hugging a part of Ali...literally." It is the reason the Gerlachs have worked so hard to build Ali's foundation, and raise money and awareness for organ and tissue donation. Ali's Rally Late in 2003, the Gerlach family was watching a local television auction and saw a bowling party for 50 people up on the auction block. Ali's godmother, Eileen Hettich, thought it would be a great way to honor her niece, who loved to bowl. The family bid on the event, which they won, and the Alison Gerlach Memorial Foundation - better known as Ali's Rally - was born. "The first year we held the bowling event, we raised $15,000," Randy said. Subsequent years have seen the total rise, and to date, in the four years since her death, "Ali's Rally at the Alley" has raised more than $66,000 - money that has gone to educating and promoting organ and tissue donation through Upstate New York Transplant Services and a program it operates called Life Lessons. "Life Lessons is a program that works to teach kids about the importance of organ donation and to educate them at a young age," Randy said, adding that he has spoken at three schools over the last year on behalf of Life Lessons and that it has been a powerful experience. This year, Ali's Rally is growing, adding an international wine-tasting night to raise money and awareness for organ and tissue donation. "Ali's Rally Uncorked" is the brainchild of family friend Ellen Kaminsky, who is the chairwoman for the event. "Ali was such a wonderful, special person, and this is an amazing family. It's an honor for me to be able to do this," she said. Kaminsky said the community and local businesses have been very supportive as she has worked to secure donations and support for the event. Ali's dad said the outpouring of that type of support is what got them through the tough times. "We have such a support system, not just family and friends, but the whole community, the Williamsville Schools, everyone," he said. "I don't know how we would have made it through without that. Everyone has been incredible." Ali had a quote that she modeled her life after, a quote she included in her Williamsville South Senior yearbook caption: "I live life like a game, and I don't intend on losing." For Alison Gerlach, the game has ended and she has won - leaving behind the gift of life to those who received her organs and the gifts of hope and inspiration embodied in Ali's Rally. Ali's Rally Uncorked - An International Wine Experience will be held from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. May 24 at the Audubon Grill, 500 Maple Road, Williamsville. The event will feature wine tasting, light snacks and live music. The evening will be hosted by Channel 2 personality Mary Friona. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the Web site www.alisrally.org. e-mail: mchandler@beenews.com |
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