Jim Koenig

Santa Cruz, CA

Southwest Transplant Fund

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Make checks payable to:
Help Hope Live

Note in memo:
In honor of Jim Koenig

Mail to:
Help Hope Live
2 Radnor Corporate Center
Suite 100
100 Matsonford Road
Radnor, PA 19087

Donor preference is important to us. Please specify in writing if you wish for your name or donation amount to be kept private.

Jim Koenig is a loving husband, generous neighbor, friend, brother & Austin’s cool Dad. Those of you, who know Jim well, know his generous heart is very sick. Diagnosed in 2008 at age 41, Jim suffers from cardiomyopathy with severe arrhythmia, the same disease that has affected the lives of his own father, son, brother, sister, cousin, and aunt. Today Jim is in critical need. He has been placed on the heart transplant list at Stanford and within the next few months, he is expecting a new heart and therefore a new chance at living a long healthy life.

Born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, Jim grew up in San Lorenzo Valley and attended SLV elementary, middle and high schools. He lives in Santa Cruz with his wife, Nicole. His son, Austin, is now off at college. Jim worked with his brother Mark, at Giant Electric for many years. Jim even stepped up and ran the company for Mark when Mark received his heart transplant!

Jim started playing baseball at a young age, working his way through little league, pony league and colt league, on up through high school and then played at Cabrillo College. Jim is also an avid fisherman and outdoorsman and for years has planned week-long getaways and camping trips with family and friends, old and new. Along with his generous heart, Jim’s great sense of humor never fails to keep the fun coming. Sharing his passions with those he loves brings him the greatest joy.

Having lost his father to this same heart disease at a young age, he was nearly on his own as a teen. He learned early on how to support himself by working hard, but he always made time for fun and for giving back to the community. Jim knows the importance of having role models for our community’s youth, particularly those who have lost a parent. As a little league coach, neighbor or a team parent for his son Austin’s sports, Jim has always found opportunities to help others that need a role model, a second chance, or just to provide a hearty home-cooked meal for those around him. Jim always went the extra mile to make all the kids feel special and happy. As part of the Harbor High Boys Volleyball family, Jim made sure all kids had their needed equipment, transportation, and provided many special barbecues for the team at tournaments and team fundraising events.

His father also gave Jim the gift of loving the great outdoors, fishing and camping. Sadly, Jim’s father, Dick Koenig, died at the young age of 46. We are grateful that science has come a long way since then, allowing heart transplants to save the life of his older brother Mark, their cousin Russell and soon Jim, himself. But transplantation is a very costly operation, with huge aftercare costs to absorb. One of the most difficult things to do is to ask for financial help. But Jim Koenig and his family need your help!

Please lighten the financial burden with your donation to the campaign fund at Help Hope Live in honor of Jim. Jim and his family need to focus on his health. To help Jim with the financial burdens not covered by insurance, we have established this fundraising campaign with Help Hope Live. They are a non-profit organization that has been helping the transplant community, including Jim’s brother, Mark, for over 30 years. (Scroll down to see why we chose Help Hope Live.)

Jim truly has a heart of gold. He brings light to the community, continually turning toward those in need where others may not even notice. He is an amazing father and a pillar for his family, friends and community. Now it is our turn to help Jim and his family in this important and critical recovery during and after the heart transplant so he can return to health. Thank you for considering supporting this funny, generous, humbled, truly deserving and well-loved brother, husband, father, and friend who has touched so many lives.

FAQs:

What Can I do?
Please spread this information to anyone who knows Jim. Tell them about the campaign fund in honor of Jim at Help Hope Live.org Let Alice Colby: oceanwench831@gmail.com, know who we may have missed sending this message to directly. Alice would also like all of your email addresses, (if you did not receive an email from me (Alice), I do not have it. This helps us stay in touch with you easily. Please do not contact Jim or Nicole directly! They are overwhelmed. Alice, Kelli & Kim are your point people. Kelli’s email is: kellita68@hotmail.com. Kim’s is: mentelhouse@sbcglobal.net. We will post updates here. Of course, your donation helps too; possibly even the most! Learn as much as you can by researching on your own and taking care of your own health. Please consider becoming an organ donor! One person can save as many as 8 lives! (More information is available at Dontaelife.ca.org.) Please let us know if you are interested in helping with future fund raising events. There are 3 planned already and more to come. For more details, please see below. Please check back at this site for updates.

What are the Costs?
The total costs from evaluation through post-op care vary from patient to patient. Suffice it to say they are exorbitant! Jim will spend about 3 months at Stanford’s housing post-op, so he can be closely monitored for heart function. (They live over an hour away from Stanford.) Insurance does not cover this purely out of pocket, necessary expense of minimally $10,000. Of course, neither he nor Nicole will be able to generate income on their own during this time. Just the “regular” bills alone will be staggering. Add to that, prescriptions, therapy, housing, additional doctor’s appointments and you get the point!

Why donate through Help Hope Live instead of directly to Jim?
We have chosen to fundraise with Help Hope Live in part because Help Hope Live provides both tax-deductibility to the full extent allowed by law and fiscal accountability to his contributors. Contributors can be sure that funds contributed will be used only to pay or reimburse medically-related expenses. Additionally, your donations through Help Hope Live are non-taxable income for Jim. You can learn much more about the additional benefits and support Help Hope Live offers by spending time on their website. Please, understand that this is a big benefit for Jim and they assure your donations only go to appropriate reasons. To make a donation to this fundraising campaign, click on the Donate Now button. Or, send a check directly to Help Hope Live. All checks are payable to Help Hope Live and in the memo line write: In honor of Jim Koenig. Proceeds raised in honor of Jim will go to assist with Jim’s uninsured medical expenses related to the transplant.

Thank you for taking the time to read and absorb all of this. We know it’s a lot. Considering everything, Jim & family are doing fine. This can really tax your system. Never the less, Jim is very persevering and generally upbeat. He has a great support system around him too. Giant Electric is still going strong and you should not hesitate at all to inquire about electrical services! We deeply appreciate your support! Take care everyone!

With Love, the extended Koenig Family

September 19, 2017

Hi everyone,

I am home, feeling good and my new heart is beating strong! It took 93 days from the time they called to say I had a heart to the day they released me to come home to Santa Cruz. I spent the first 4 days in the ICU then moved up to intermediate ICU for 7 more days. On June 8, I was discharged from the hospital just 11 days after surgery and spent the next 82 days in Sunnyvale in temporary housing so I could be in Stanford’s required distance from the hospital. I would like to thank everyone for their generosity, kindness, prayers. It was so nice hearing from old friends from so many years ago and new friends. It was very heartwarming. I would also like to thank everyone for the visits, text messages, Facebook posts, phone calls, cards and flowers. Thanks to all those who prepared meals for Nicole and Austin, took care of our house and animals, and came by to check and water yard. I really appreciate those who came to stay with me or let me stay with them so Nicole could go home to be with Austin, do some work and take care of our home. Thanks to everyone that brought meals to me, took me to lunch or had us over for dinners. Of course, I would like to thank all our family and extended family for help though this journey. We couldn’t have done it without your amazing support whether financial, emotional or your life experiences. A special thanks to Nicole for being there every step of the way from the beginning of this journey 9 years ago to the start of this new chapter, being stuck with me in those hospital rooms and then in our temporary housing. Driving me back and forth to every appointment, test, and labs; waiting in those rooms for hours (even when I started the revolt in the radiology department and got sent to the back/principal’s office). I would also like to thank Alice and Mark for their fundraising efforts with Help Hope Live, raising awareness for organ donation, and arranging for our temporary housing. It is truly humbling to receive the generosity of so many and know that so many people took time out of their busy schedules to help. The relief you brought to our family is truly indescribable. Organ donation saves lives and changes lives. Please consider becoming a donor.

With Love and Respect,

Jim

August 5, 2017

Please join us at The California Beer Festival! Join Kenny Allen, KHIP, The Hippo, KPIG and I at the California Beer Festival next Saturday, August 12th! We will be there with tons of festive Mardi Gras Beads to help you get in the spirit and raise money for Southwest Heart Transplant Fund in honor of Jim Koenig! Help Hope Live materials will be on hand too, if you have any questions about becoming an organ donor. Saturday, August 12th Craft Beer Heaven 12:30 pm - 5:00 pm. Join us on Saturday for the Ultimate Craft Beer Experience! Fulfill your natural desire to sample from each end of the Craft Beer spectrum- from local craft breweries to neighboring breweries that border the California Coast.

Saturday's Craft Beer Heaven is THE event for any new or seasoned craft beer enthusiast! Expand your mind and palate as you sample from over 85 Craft Beers on tap, live music, flavorful food and Bocce Ball!

Festival times 12:30 pm - 5 pm

VIP Sampling from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

General Admission Gates open at 12:30 pm

Beer Sampling: 1:00 pm-4:30 pm

Ticket holders will receive access to Live Entertainment, Food available from vendors, (1) Souvenir glass, and Unlimited Access to 85 Craft Breweries to sample from!

All 21 and over craft beer enthusiast are invited to join the fun!

July 12, 2017

Who's thirsty? Who likes great, live music? Join me and KPIG radio at the Hop N Barley Festival this Saturday, July 15th at Sky Park in Scotts Valley! Bay Area Hall of Fame DJ, Laurie Roberts will be with me from 12:00pm - 2:00pm too! We have fun beer and heart shaped Mardi Gras beads available to all who donate towards the Southwestern Heart Transplant Fund in honor of Jim Koenig. We will also have uber cool, KPIG temporary tattoos and some KPIG buttons. Get there early to get the coolest stuff! I will also be there on Sunday for the Fermentation Festival. Please come out and stop by our booth! I have a square reader if you are feeling extra generous or aren't carrying cash. Check out the festivities and get tickets at: www.hopnbarley.org

June 27, 2017

Hi All, Jim is recovering well. His first two biopsies have shown no sign of rejection at all! We really appreciate your support and love. As Jim gains strength, I am sure he will be able to interact with many of you by phone, email, text or hopefully soon in person. Cards can be sent to the Santa Cruz home and we will get them over to Jim. You can also post here and obviously on Facebook.

Thanks again! Alice

June 10, 2017

He is OUT! Jim was discharged from Stanford yesterday afternoon! We are all so excited! He is doing really well. Conquered stairs (up to his new temporary home) a lap around the "complex" and more. He & Nicole will now be going back and forth to Stanford twice a week for the next month for labs, clinic and other standard follow up procedures. Then they taper down the frequency of those weekly visits in month two and three. They are not quite ready to receive visitors outside of family yet, but soon! Please feel free to send cards to the Koenig residence and post well wishes here or on Facebook on Jim or Nicloe's pages. Thanks for all your support! Cheers, Alice

June 7, 2017

I was able to visit with Jim and Nicole for 6 hours yesterday! Jim is doing so well! He looks really good. He is regaining his appetite and he still has his sense of humor! Sitting up most of the time and he did walk two laps around the floor yesterday! They are talking about discharging him as soon as this Thursday or Friday! I will let you know when that happens. Jim, Nicole and Austin will be staying close to Stanford for the next 3 months. If you have questions, please direct them to either myself or Kim Hill. The Koenig family has their hands full and then some! Thank you for your continued love and support! Alice Colby

June 2, 2017

Hi everyone! More great news: Jim has been moved to a private room out of ICU and in CCU. The doctors say he is breaking records with his speed of recovery! He is sitting up and eating on his own. If you would like to send cards, please send them to Jim & Nicole's residence, not Stanford. The family will bring them over to Jim. There is also a cooler on their porch with a sign up sheet if you would like to join the "Food Train." You can make a meal for Nicole and Austin and leave it in the cooler. Hopefully soon, it will be a meal for all three of them. Please just leave the meal: Do not knock on the door or disturb the family. If they are there and feeling social they will come out to greet you. More info on the "Food Train" is on Kim Hill's Facebook page, as well as on mine. Please continue to refrain from trying to reach Jim or Nicole or Stanford directly. Regular updates will be posted here. Thank you one and all for your continued support. Love, Alice Colby

June 1, 2017

Jim is continuing to improve & is getting closer to moving out of ICU! Super good progress! Please check back here for regular updates instead of texting, calling or emailing the family. Thank you! xoxo, Alice

May 29, 2017

Hi All, Jim is doing well. They have removed the breathing tube and he is breathing on his own. We are all super grateful for this amazing leap forward and for all of your support! much more in the days to come! Love, Alice

May 28, 2017

After a year of waiting, we received the call that there is a donor heart for Jim. It is with mixed emotion that I write this while Jim is in surgery. Words cannot express our deepest sympathy and gratitude to the donor family during their time of loss. We hope that they can find some comfort knowing that they have given the gift of life and changed the future for so many. We will be forever grateful. Thank you to all our friends and family for your continued support and love during this journey. We are so fortunate to have you in our lives.

August 16, 2016

Hi All, we had a great time at The California Beer Festival! Thanks to all our friends and family who came out in support of this event for Jim! You can check out a few photos from the event in Jim's photo albums on this website. If you missed us there, please come out and join us both days at the Tequila & Taco Music Festival! We will have LOTS of festive Mardi Gras beads for donations in honor of Jim. This is a super fun event with great music, food & of course tequila! See you at San Lorenzo Park in downtown Santa Cruz, on August 27th & 28th! Cheers, Alice

August 11, 2016

Hi all, Unfortunately, we will not have wifi at the California Beer Festival, so we will not be able to accept credit card donations after all. It does not look likely for the Tequila & Taco Music Festival either, but I am exploring options. Stay tuned for another event to be posted VERY soon! Jim is in good spirits and so grateful for your terrific support!

Cheers, Alice

July 21, 2016

Upcoming Fundraisers: Join Alice Colby, Mark Koenig & Austin Koenig at the California Beer Festival on Sunday, August 14th from 11:00am - 6:00pm, in beautiful Aptos Village Park. Please come by Alice's radio stations' booth to make a donation. Every donation receives Mardi Gras beads as a thank you! We have heart shaped beads & specialty beads in all sizes: The bigger the donation, the better the beads! (There is a $10 admission fee for this event.)

Alice will be out again, with Mardi Gras beads a plenty at the Tequila & Taco Music Festival, in San Lorenzo Park in down town Santa Cruz on both Saturday & Sunday, August 27th & 28th. Stop by the radio stations' booth and make a donation in honor of Jim to the Southwest Heart Transplant Fund! We hope to also have information at this event on how you can become an organ donor. Cash and credit card donations will be accepted at both events. (There is a $10 admission fee for this event.)

June 10, 2017

california Beer Festival

June 10, 2017

Bead Fundraiser

June 10, 2017

Bead Fundraiser

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June 12, 2017

We are so glad to hear that you got your new heart. Wishing you a well and one day at a time recovery. You and your family are in our thoughts.

Coco & Lenora Montoya

October 11, 2016

This donation is made on behalf of The Class of 1986! Thinking of you and sending lots of love and positive thoughts! You got this Jim!

Teresa Paradise

September 13, 2016

You, Nicole and Austin are in my thoughts Jimmy..

Love, Ellie

August 10, 2016

Jim: hope you get the new ticker so I won't have to zap you again!

greg m

August 9, 2016

Hey Jim, I still recall your comment to Will Wiseman when he walked up to the plate wearing a pair of way too tight baseball pants, "Hey Wiseman, Single "A" just called. They want their pants back!"
Keep up with the positive outlook and great humor. I'm sure you'll get through this just fine.

Kevin, Cathy and Jett Gallagher

August 8, 2016

Jim,hope you get your new heart soon and live a long prosperous life..

Doc K

August 4, 2016

Dear Jim,
Gregg and I are thinking about you and know things will work out - soon -for a new beginning - to feel good again. xo

Robin and Gregg Kirksey

August 4, 2016

Hi Jim,
We are so sorry to hear about your struggle. I feel confident you will beat this with your strength and humor.
I made a donation but it didn't let me put in a note that is was from your friends at Royal. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers - hang in there Buddy!!

Robyn

August 3, 2016

Hey Jim sorry to hear this news. I hope everything works out for you

Jeff Eshe

August 3, 2016

Love you cousin!!

Kristine

August 3, 2016

Hey Jim- Long time since I have spoken or seen you. Hang in there, hope and support seems to be on your side. Sending thoughts and prayers to you and your family! Love to make one of these events as well.

Dave Wood

August 2, 2016

Hi Jim: Looks like you have lots of people pulling for you. We are included! Hopefully your heart transplant happens soon. We send positive thoughts for a full and complete transplant.

Mindi and Paul Brougton

August 2, 2016

To a guy with a huge heart, time for a new one! Stay strong all of you. We are thinking of you.

Bruce and Jennifer Taylor

August 1, 2016

Jim, our entire family sends our love and support: Dean and I, plus Kate, Steven, Julia, Kyoko, Mark, Kylie and Melia. We're all pulling for you and wishing you well. Group hug (including Nicole and Austin).

Paula

July 23, 2016

Jim,
It's been a long time brother , I remember all the tough competition you provided, make this a speed bump and kick it's a-- .

Paul foster

July 23, 2016

Hey Jim - We are thinking positive thoughts everyday for your successful transplant. Hang in there and let us know if we can help in any way. Love to you and the whole family.

Sarah and Bob Balla

July 22, 2016

Dear Jim, I am thinking of you and hoping you receive your new heart very soon. I wish you all the best!! I'm keeping you in my thoughts and prayers and sending you lots of love! You have always been there for me when I needed help and I thank you. Get well!!!

love, Patty

July 22, 2016

It's been a very long time. You and your family are in our thoughts and we got your back. On behalf of the Kelly family we wish you a quick recovery after the success of your transplant.

Karen Kelly Goerss

July 22, 2016

Hey there Jimmy any thing I can do don't hesitate to ask !!

Scooter

July 22, 2016

We love you Jim and send healing thoughts, prayers & hugs your way. You got this!!!

Barb & Scott Webb

July 22, 2016

Let's go Team Jim!!! Whoop whoop! :) You bring me so many smiles, Jim - and you've been so helpful with all of my electrical needs over the years. Thank you. Here's to a healthy heart -- and Many more years of your shenanigans!!!

Love and best wishes, Hallie

July 21, 2016

Hi Jim, we are officially up and running! Thank you so much for allowing me to help. I cannot think of a more deserving man! You are very special to me! I KNOW you are going to do really well! Here's to your health! Love you, Alice

Alice Colby

Mail a Check

Make checks payable to:
Help Hope Live

Note in memo:
In honor of Jim Koenig

Mail to:
Help Hope Live
2 Radnor Corporate Center
Suite 100
100 Matsonford Road
Radnor, PA 19087

Donor preference is important to us. Please specify in writing if you wish for your name or donation amount to be kept private.

Updates (13)

September 19, 2017

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