During an Anatomy and Physiology class at the University of South Florida in 2019, Tony’s professor invited a representative from Gift of Life to explain the stem cell transplant process and invite the students to join the registry. 

“It was just a cheek swab and a questionnaire, so why not join?” said Tony. “I lost both my parents to lung cancer, so potentially helping someone survive cancer is important to me.”

Tony was called as a possible match for a patient in 2021, but did not donate that time. Physicians sometimes recommend a different course of treatment for a patient, such as a clinical trial, or the transplant center may have selected a different donor.

Fast forward to 2024 when Tony received a second call from Gift of Life to donate. “Matching is so rare, and I had already been called once, so I never expected it to happen again,” he said. “I was very surprised but hoped it would work out this time.”

It did! Tony was the best match for a man in his 60s diagnosed with leukemia, and the donation was on.

“I was taking time off work for a vacation anyway, so it turned into one big trip where I went to four states,” said Tony. “I felt like I was inconveniencing Gift of Life with the logistical challenges of preparing a donor who was traveling, but they reassured me it was no big deal, and everything went smoothly.”

Once he arrived at Gift of Life’s Adelson Collection Center in Boca Raton, Fla., Tony was ready to donate – and ready for a nap.

“I fell asleep within minutes!” he said. “I was surprised because I’m usually pretty finicky about falling asleep, and here I was in a donor chair with a needle in each arm connected to the apheresis machine, and I was gone, out.” He credited his need for a good, solid nap to all the travel during the previous week.

Fortunately, both the accommodations Gift of Life provides for donors at an oceanside resort in Delray Beach and the state-of-the-art Adelson Collection Center provide relaxing and welcoming environments.

“The hotel itself was beautiful, and just being around the beach area was really nice,” said Tony. “Then everyone at the collection center was great, very comforting and encouraging.”

Having stepped up to help a stranger defeat cancer, Tony encourages others to do the same.

“It feels good to have donated; it’s really easy and painless,” he said. “It’s a ‘Why not?’ thing – if you have the chance to help someone, it’s great. As someone who got the chance again after not donating the first time, it’s definitely a great experience.”

Tony, 29, attended the University of South Florida and currently works with Marriott Hotels & Resorts. In his free time, he is the coxswain for a rowing team and has been participating in the sport for nine years.