PARSIPPANY — On May 15, John Manzi will be running in the Wild Half Marathon in Wildwood to raise funds to cover rising medical expenses for his godson, Noah Lorencovitz and his family during a very difficult time.
On Thursday morning March 3, what started as a normal school day for the 13 year old suddenly turned tragic. During gym class at Central Middle School, Noah excused himself to the locker room. While in there, his heart went into an arrhythmia which ultimately led to cardiac arrest. An student found him unresponsive and contacted his teacher who immediately began CPR. The school nurse and EMTs were summoned to help and administer an AED to get his heart started again. He was rushed to nearby Morristown Medical Center. While the staff provided great care and support to stabilize Noah, they didn’t have the full capability to care for a patient in such a dire situation. Noah was transferred to Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital at Columbia Presbyterian in NYC and was in the cardiac intensive care (ICU) for almost three weeks.
During his time in the ICU, the medical staff managed and stabilized his organs to prevent further damage from the initial shock from the event. They helped his body recover and during treatment, discovered an extra nerve on his heart which led to his rapid heartbeat or arrhythmia. The doctors conducted a successful ablation procedure on Noah and shortly thereafter he left the ICU. However his fight is not over. The next major hurdle is recovering from the trauma that was caused to Noah’s brain during the cardiac event. The family remains hopeful and would like to get him to the next phase of his treatment which will be at Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick. It is expected to be a long road of rehabilitation ahead. Everyone is hopeful that Noah will recover from the trauma so we can hear his voice and see that infectious smile!
John Manzi said “My heart aches to see Tim and Jennifer, Noah’s parents, suffering like they are (Tim has been my best friend since the 3rd grade). But, I am so proud of how they continue to navigate through this very difficult situation and take it one day at a time. I am a firm believer that people “get what they can handle” and those dealt with very difficult situations are the special ones chosen from God because he knows they will shine. While this is probably one of the most difficult circumstances that one could imagine, I truly believe that the strength of both their marriage and parenting skills will enable them to get through this. Although the road of their family journey through life will change, I am certain that the new road will bring them joy and happiness. I definitely will continue to be a passenger right next to them as they continue down that road.”
On May 15, my “Race 4 Noah” in the Wild Half Marathon in Wildwood will be to raise funds for Noah’s ongoing medical & rehabilitation expenses. Prior to Noah’s accident, he was your everyday 13 old boy that loved to play baseball and basketball. He wore #4 on his jersey in his last baseball and basketball seasons. To help support Lorencovitz’s ensure that Noah continues to get the best treatment possible, I am running this half marathon with a goal to raise $13,100; $1,000 for each mile I run for a total of 13.1 miles. As I train for this event, I will challenge my own stamina and endurance, but I know it is nothing compared to what the Lorencovitz family will be battling each day as they adjust to their new normal. Please join me and help support this cause. Any dollar amount you can donate will be another stride to help me reach my goal. Together, we can help get Noah back on his feet one day wearing that #4 again on the basketball court, said Manzi.
If you can’t make a donation at this point, help him reach his goal by sharing this acticle on Facebook and Twitter! Even better, send an email to friends you think might be interested in contributing and include a link to this article.
Click here to view Noah’s GoFundme page.
