VALUES

In death, Keyport deli owner helped save the lives of four people with organ donations

Asbury Park Press

Melissa Daza was known around Keyport for running her Broad Street sandwich shop, Daza’s Subs & Deli, with a big smile.

“She loved her customers,” husband James Daza said. “She was very big-hearted.”

That spirit motivated her to confide an important wish in James and her mother, Anna Dockery.

“Melissa had mentioned to us several times that if anything were to ever happen to her, she would like to help save a life by being an organ donor,” James said.

That wish was fulfilled after Melissa, 40, died suddenly in May. Her organs helped save four people, providing a measure of solace to her grieving family.

Melissa’s lungs were transplanted into a 41-year-old female; her liver was transplanted into a 61-year-old male; her right kidney was transplanted into a 64-year-old male, and her left kidney was transplanted into a 56-year-old male. The donations were announced earlier this month by NJ Sharing Network, a nonprofit responsible for recovering organs and tissue for nearly 4,000 New Jersey residents currently awaiting transplants.

“At first I was against it,” Dockery said, “but as I started thinking about it, I thought it would be nice to have somebody breathing through her lungs, to have somebody helped by her kidneys. I know that’s what she wanted. She’d give you the shirt off her back.”

Melissa and James were raising two children in their Keyport household: 9-year-old Justina and 4-year-old Nicolina. The younger Daza could be seen tagging along with Melissa at the deli.

“She had a little playroom in the kitchen area and a mattress for her to take a nap on,” Dockery said.

James Daza, who is a union iron worker, closed the deli permanently after Melissa’s death.

“Melissa was our entire world,” he said. “Even though she suffered with extremely severe migraines and other health issues, she always amazed us at how she somehow had the energy and strength to get up every morning and live life as happily as she could with us.”

Melissa’s older children from a previous relationship, Haliemarie and William Ungermah (ages 17 and 14, respectively), live in Bloomfield. She also was stepmother to James’ two children from a previous marriage, 18-year-old Alexia Daza and 16-year-old Angelina Daza.

“We’re all trying to get through this as best as we can,” Dockery said.

James Daza said the NJ Sharing Network has been part of the family’s support system.

“It’s a wonderful thing that they did, with the people my wife saved,” he said.

In 2021, James said, he would like to connect with one or more of those recipients. Because such interactions can be emotionally charged, there are guidelines for correspondence between recipients of organ donations and donors/donor families. The initial outreach must be made via letter and is facilitated through NJ Sharing Network.

Connections aren’t commonplace but they do happen, often after some time has passed. Sometimes, lifelong bonds are formed.

“If we hear from even just one of those four people,” James Daza said, “it would mean a lot.”

For more information on organ donation, visit www.njsharingnetwork.org.

Jerry Carino is community columnist for the Asbury Park Press, focusing on the Jersey Shore’s interesting people, inspiring stories and pressing issues. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj.com.