Sherri and Mark Szep of Chesterfield Township were married 18 years ago. Mark was 25.

“The first night of our honeymoon he was really sick,” said Sherri. “We spent that night in a hotel getting ready to go on a cruise and he spent the night on the bathroom on the floor. I now know that I married a very sick person, but we had no idea how sick he was at the time.”

WATCH VIDEO: How She’s Repaying Her Husband’s Gift Of Life

Mark was diagnosed with a viral cardiomyopathy, an infection of the heart that can come out of nowhere. It can cause severe, often irreversible, damage to the heart leading to heart failure.

“By the time I got him to the hospital he had 40 pounds of fluid on him and around his heart,” said Sherri.

Mark struggled with his failing health for 10 years. In the meantime they had two sons, Ronny and Brendan. Finally in April of 2002, Mark couldn’t wait any longer. At age 35 he found himself on the heart transplant list.

“It was a very long surgery and the surgeon said it was the most difficult heart transplant he had ever done,” said Sherri.

Mark had a rocky course but pulled through and was grateful for his second chance at life.

“The Gift of Life told us not to write a note, letter, not to seek the donor family for at least a year. My husband didn’t want to wait that long. By October he had mailed his letter to Gift of Life,” Sherri said.

To Mark and Sherri’s surprise, they were contacted almost immediately by the family of the donor. He was 21-year-old Greg Lee Jr.

“He died playing softball. He was on the pitchers mound and had pitched the ball, and it was shot back to him, and it was hit so hard that he was only able to turn his head,” Sherri said. “(The ball) hit him in the neck and he dropped to the ground.”

Since meeting Greg’s family they’ve shared some incredible moments. Greg’s mom has listened to her son’s heart beating in Mark’s chest. Greg’s mother has also given Sherri a remarkable gift.

“She gave me this ring that was made out of Greg’s jewelry,” Sherri said. “She wore it from the time she had it made till the time she met us. She said ‘This is Greg’s and I want you to have it,’ and she said ‘This is for whoever got Greg’s heart.’”

Sherri works as an event coordinator for Wright and Fillipis. Since her husband’s surgery, she has been even more committed to giving. Through blood donation and organizing blood drives, she’s able to give the gift of life while she’s alive and can see the impact she’s having.

“I feel like giving blood is something people can do and get instant gratification,” Sherri said. “I get frustrated with people who don’t want to be blood donors because it hurts; they don’t want to get poked with a needle. I want to bring them home and see what my husband goes through everyday.”

Sherri puts her money where her mouth is. According to the Red Cross, she’s personally donated 17 times and she’s coordinated 41 blood drives that have collected 964 donations. Each donation can help up to three people, meaning she’s helped give the gift of blood to thousands of people.

“It makes me feel like I’m giving back something even though he got an organ donation,” Sherry said. “I feel like me giving blood or organizing these blood drives is my way of giving back.”

Giving the gift of blood is a simple way to give the gift of life while you are still living.

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