Members of the New York Jets including Head Coach Rex Ryan, Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine, Quarterback Mark Sanchez, Defensive Tackle Sione Pouha, Defensive End Muhammad Wilkerson and the Flight Crew will be in Tinton Falls tomorrow to support an Ocean Township man’s search for a bone marrow donor, ‘A Match For Michael.’

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The event takes place May 1st from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel in Tinton Falls. Ticket purchasers will have a chance to meet members of the Jets and the Flight Crew and get autographs or take photos.

There will be a live and silent auction, information about bone marrow donation, desserts and a cash bar. More than 400 tickets have been sold so far.  To purchase a ticket, visit MatchForMichael.com.

Representatives from BeTheMatch.org will be on hand to provide information about bone marrow donation and to do cheek swabs.

An Unexpected Diagnosis

When Michael Manganiello was diagnosed with Acute Myelofibrosis in April, he found himself in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant.

News of his diagnosis reached a friend, Danielle Taglianetti, of West Long Branch who instantly felt compelled to help.

“He went from being a totally healthy person to all the sudden being this sick,” she said.  She wanted to help.

Knowing that Michael Manganiello was a huge Jets fan, Taglianetti reached out to her friend Mike Pettine, Jets defensive coordinator, to see if he was interested in putting something together.

“I’m a networker,” she said.

Pettine told her he was on board. So Taglianetti started planning, ‘A Match For Michael.

“Everyone else kind of jumped on board,” she said. “Mike Pettine has been a huge help. I mean, it’s been the weekend of the draft, he’s been amazing.”

Community Rallies to Support Michael

From there, the effort to organize the bone marrow donation event snowballed, with more Jets members coming on board and community leaders and local businesses stepping in to help.

“Nobody has said no,” Taglianette says, “Everybody has been so gracious.”

Manganiello’s nephew, Michael DeGeorge was happy to see such an outpouring of support from his community.

“He’s one of those guys, a real stand-up guy,” DeGeorge says of his uncle.

When DeGeorge went to local businesses to ask for help for the auction, he received more donations than he expected.

“A lot of people seem to be coming out of the woodwork to try to support him,” DeGeorge said.

The DoubleTree Hotel owner donated the venue to host the event.

Other donated items include; Jets-signed memorabilia, Yankee’s Legends tickets, jewelry, a Kindle Fire, restaurant gift certificates, spa passes and a surf board from Spellbinders Surf Shop. They’ll all be part of the auction.

 

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