as told by Barbara Warter, Oren's wife and Ryan's mom

LEGACY. LIVING. LOVING. DOING HAPPY

 

In July 2018, the Warter Strong Foundation became an official 503(c) charity, but the roots of this foundation go back to 2014, when my late husband, Dr. Oren Warter, was battling leukemia. The very first Warter Strong event was held in conjunction with the Gift of Life to find a life-saving bone marrow match for Oren. Through a series of unfortunate events, Oren ultimately passed away in August 2015, leaving a powerful legacy to uphold.

 

We continued our fundraising efforts in Oren's honor over the next few years. 

​Fast forward to the Fall of 2016.

Up until that point, I had learned to accept what life threw at me and to stay strong through negative events. 

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When Jeff came into the picture, I quickly learned that sometimes life surprises you in the happiest, most beautiful way. Jeff understood, accepted, and embraced my world and happily added his children—Corynne, Grant, and Gillian. We quickly realized that we had our own "Brady Bunch" crew. 

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Jeff and I realized that there was so much

more we wanted to be able to do in the

name of "Warter Strong" and continue the

legacy, we informally began a few years

ago. So for our wedding on Thanksgiving,

November 2017, and in honor of my

late husband, Oren, we began the legal

process of turning Warter Strong into

a formal foundation.

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By the spring of 2018, the Warter Strong Foundation application was underway. 

We were excited and began brainstorming on the directions we could take.
 

This is the point where we should have a happy ending to the story.​

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But once again, our world was turned unexpectedly and tragically upside down.

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On May 24, 2018, just six months to the date of getting remarried and rebuilding our next chapter of life, our son Ryan passed away suddenly from complications related to an acute medical illness. He was just 17 years old.

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In a final act of love and generosity, Ryan gave the gift of life by donating both of his kidneys to two men in desperate need through the New Jersey Sharing Network.​

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In July 2018, less than three months after we lost Ryan, Warter Strong Foundation, Inc received IRS approval.
 

We cried both happy & heartbreaking tears at once, knowing we would be working in memory of both Oren and now Ryan. Every donation. Every time spent volunteering, every kind act is dedicated to both of their memories. 

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In August 2018, while on our family honeymoon, acknowledging the space at the table where Ryan should have sat alongside his brothers, stepbrother, and stepsisters, we brainstormed about the direction we wanted to take for our family charity. As we tossed around catch phrases, each one getting voted down faster than the next, our son Zach offered up, “How about do happy?”

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Do happy??

That was perfect.

It was the exact mantra that both Ryan and Oren used to live their lives. ​​We are continuing to live day to day with the idea that life doesn't have to be “perfect” to be amazing. Some days, it is easy. On other days, it is not. But we keep moving forward.

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What began as a bone marrow drive in honor of my late husband Oren and what became fueled by the loss of our son Ryan in has taken shape into something beautiful. We look forward to the journey of watching Warter Strong grow and unfold as we are able to help more and more people.
 

With much gratitude for your support,

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