WAUKESHA — A Waukesha author working on turning her grief into a book finds an amazing letter that shows her death does not mean the end.
"I found out that my mom gave her heart to somebody,” said Amy Sazama.
Amy's mom died 20 years ago of an allergic reaction when Amy was 17. She was never told her mom was an organ donor. Amy was going through some of her mother's memories as she was working on her book, Fleetwood Dreams, when she found a letter in a box.
"Approximately one year after a major heart attack, when I suffered a congestive heart failure, I was put on a transplant list…. After a two-and-a-half-year wait, I was lucky and fortunate. …thanks to your generous gift I have been given a second chance in life," Amy said.
"I didn't know she was a donor. I didn't know this letter existed. I think a family member tucked it aside, like she will find this one day and I did,” Amy said.
But, Amy assumed she was decades too late to reach out to the man who wrote the letter — her friends didn't. They tracked down Andre Badipour's family on social media and Amy contacted his daughter. The two finally talked over the phone and we asked if we could talk to him again.
“Do you remember writing that letter, 20 years ago?” asked reporter Rebecca Klopf
"I certainly do,” said Andre Badipour.
Andre, who is now in his 80s, says he has thought often about the letter and wondered if the family of his heart donor ever got it. He always just wanted to say thank you.
"I am one of the luckiest, certainly one of the most luckiest person in the world. That gave me an opportunity. My second opportunity for life, see my grandchildren grow,” said Andre.
It is the life Amy's mother never got, but it gives Amy peace knowing a part of her mother lives on. That part makes Andre feel connected to Amy for life now.
"That you are part of my family. I want you to know that,” said Andre.
The two are planning to meet up. Andre lives in Wisconsin and he hopes to come to her book launch on August 20 at Twisted Vine Wine Shop and Bar in Pewaukee. We wanted to keep following their story and asked to be there when it happens.
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