By Katie Vasquez
From a young age, the Perellis’ knew their son AJ was special.
“AJ was the life of the party always,” said AJ’s mother, Christine Perelli. “He knew he wanted to be in the creative arts from a very young age.”
“AJ had courage to just go out and take the bull by the horns, I admired that about him,” said AJ’s father Anthony Perelli.
The Queens man was a dancer, actor and performer, taking him across the world as far as China, which was concerning for his mother.
“I said, ‘you know, AJ, if something happens to you overseas what do you want to do?’ he said ‘don’t worry mom I’m an organ donor,” said Christine Perelli. “I’m registered.”
But the Perellis’ never expected to see AJ’s wish fulfilled.
On October 10th, 2013 their son was involved in an accident, he died 6 days later
“I always said a parent should never bury their child, and when it happened to me, I couldn’t believe I was saying it to myself,” said Anthony Perelli. “You want the world to stop, because yours has.”
AJ’s final act was to give the gift of life to others, donating his heart, kidneys, liver pancreas and corneas.
“He’s gone, but he lives on in other people. It was wonderful to see people he saved,” said Anthony Perelli. “You meet people who are genuinely thankful and crying that their lives were saved, and that’s a big deal.”
His parents created a non-profit in his memory called “The AJ project,” which looks to bring awareness to the need to register as an organ donor.
The Catholic couple also hosted a Mass of Thanksgiving at their home parish, St. Rita in Long Island City, to honor and bless all those touched by organ donation.
“This mass is not only for people who are, on the waiting list or who have received or who donate,” said Christine Perelli. “It’s for people who have been on the sidelines.”
“We’re called to go out and share our faith,” said Anthony Perelli. “So what better way to ask people, let’s come together and pray for those who we love and who we miss.”
In that way the Perellis’ say their son’s memory lives on.
“I saw the hero in my son,” said Anthony Perelli. “That’s when I realized what a hero he was.”
“I always was the proud mom, and this is allowing me to continue being that proud mom,” said Christine Perelli. “He’s on stage still. He’s still on stage.”