By now I trust you have watched our Pregnant Flash Mob to benefit the March of Dimes.
Our mission was to raise money to help the March of Dimes fight birth defect,s but one of the people that came to watch the mob ended up dying later that evening and donating some of his organs to directly help babies with birth defects! His mother and one of our lead singers, Andria Fluke (first to sing), wanted me to tell you his story.
Josh was only 29. He was a very good friend and co-worker of Andria’s who was also a Big Brother for Big Brothers and Sisters. When we did our casting call, Andria agreed to do it with Josh’s encouragement even though this was completely out of her comfort zone. Josh was one of the selective few that she shared this secret with since it was to be a surprise because he so appreciated this type of thing. Josh came with Andria’s family to Kings Island on Saturday to proudly watch her perform and spent the day and evening with her family and friends.
Later that night, Josh had an apparent heart attack possibly brought on by Diabetes while at Andria’s house and passed away. Though the cause is still unknown, Andria and Josh’s mom felt that this story was important to share not only because it could raise awareness for diabetes, of the Big Brothers and Sisters Program and organ donation, but because of how strange fate can be. Had Andria not done the flash mob, he mostly likely would have been home alone instead of with people that loved him in his last moments.
Josh’s family donated his heart valves to babies with heart defects, his skin to burn victims, and other organs to help those in need…. in an ironic and sad, but also inspiring twist to what we set out to do that day.
You never now what life is going to bring… so enjoy each day, and when someone encourages you to get out of your comfort zone… do it! There’s always the chance that you were meant to do that thing for reasons you can’t imagine at the time
