Oct 07, 2009
Berlin Resident “Drops” Everything To Fight MS
Sean O'Leary, Communications Specialist
NOTE: WFSB Eyewitness News Channel 3 will air its story on Mike and Melanie Jortner and their annual MS Jump fundraiser on Monday, Oct. 26, between 10 and 11 a.m. during Better Connecticut.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Berlin Resident “Drops” Everything To Fight MS
BERLIN, Conn. – As a result of her courage to “drop” everything in support of the love of her life, Berlin resident Melanie Jortner will be featured in the February issue of Ladies Home Journal.
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| Berlin resident Melanie Jortner jumps with FunSkydiving owner Mauricio Galante during the annual MS Jump fundraiser. Jortner created the event for her husband, Mike Jortner, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 11 years ago. Ladies Home Journal and WEtv named Jortner one of its “We Do Good” honorees and will donate $5,000 in her name to the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter. |
Several years ago, Jortner decided it was time to scale new heights but more astonishing, drop from those heights at high speeds, all for a worthy cause. Jortner combines her passion for free falling with her passion to find a cure for MS – a disease that threatens to rob her husband, Mike, of mobility and independence. For that, Ladies Home Journal has taken notice and has named her a “We Do Good” honoree.
The award, also sponsored by WEtv, is accompanied by a $5,000 donation in Jortner’s name to her charity of choice – the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter.
“My husband nominated me and I was completely surprised when I found out,” said Jortner, who lives in Berlin with her husband and their 3 year-old daughter, Mattea. “It’s obviously an event that is a little outside the box. There aren’t too many skydiving fundraisers and that’s why we love it.”
Jortner created the annual MS Jump fundraiser for her husband, who has battled the disease since 1998. But the story behind the event’s start in 2007 begins a decade earlier when the future husband and wife met each other while attending Flagler College in Saint Augustine, Fla. It was a coincidence that both grew up in Connecticut – Melanie Jortner in Harwinton, Mike Jortner in Berlin.
The couple began dating in 1997 and, shortly thereafter, Mike Jortner would experience the first symptoms of multiple sclerosis.
“We were in college and he told me that his eyes were a little fuzzy,” detailed Melanie Jortner. “We figured it was pink eye or maybe he needed glasses. He went to the eye doctor, who took one look and told him he needed to visit a hospital immediately.”
Roughly two months later and after multiple tests, Mike Jortner was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
It has not been easy for the family, with Mike Jortner suffering a rare grand mal seizure in 2004 and usually using a cane to aid in walking. He has gone through multiple medications before finally settling on Tysabri, which has helped with his mobility problems.
“The hardest thing about MS is constantly adjusting our life,” Melanie Jortner explained. “After he had the seizure, he went on disability and that was a struggle to accomplish. It seems like every time you’ve reached a point where things are under control, you have to make more changes and that’s what MS does.”
The Jortners participated in several Connecticut Chapter events, such as the annual Walk MS, following the diagnosis. It wasn’t until Mike Jortner’s birthday several years ago, however, that the light bulb for their fundraiser went off.
For his birthday, the couple went to FunSkydiving in Danielson where owner Mauricio Galante quickly ascertained Mike Jortner’s physical limitations.
“You have to do a couple of very basic exercises before skydiving to make sure you’re physically able to complete the jump,” explained Melanie Jortner. “Of course, Mike has trouble with them. It was Mauricio, after asking Mike about his illness, who suggested we do a skydiving fundraiser.”
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| From left, Berlin resident Mike Jortner, FunSkydiving owner Mauricio Galante, Melanie Jortner and three year old Mattea Jortner pose after a successful skydive during the annual MS Jump fundraiser. |
Initially, the idea seemed a little far-fetched, Jortner said. There were concerns that it would be too expensive or that people would simply brush it off as a crazy idea. But she believed the event could make an impact and she quickly began organizing.
“I thought that even if we only got 10 to 20 people, it would be enough money to make it worthwhile,” said Jortner. “It’s not something you see every day and I believed that would appeal to people. And for those that didn’t want to skydive, they’d still give us $20 and say, ‘Good luck.’”
The first event in 2007 raised $1,360 and the total jumped to $5,695 for the 2008 MS Jump. The 2009 MS Jump took place this August and plans are already underway for next year’s event.
“For Mike, it was very motivational for him to complete that first jump so he could say he was able to do it,” shared Jortner. “Now, the MS Jump is motivational for me because I want this event to be more successful each year.”
More than 6,000 Connecticut residents, like Mike Jortner, are affected by multiple sclerosis, a potentially debilitating disease affecting the central nervous system. The cause is unknown and, as a result, there is currently no cure for MS. The progress, severity, and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot be predicted.
Funds raised through events, such as the MS Jump, ensure ongoing scientific research to find a cure and provide for the continuation of vital programs and services offered by the Connecticut Chapter to residents statewide diagnosed with MS.
For more information on the annual MS Jump event, please visit www.jump4ms.com.
To learn more about creating or hosting a fundraising event for the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, please contact Nicole Marohn, the chapter’s associate vice president of development, at 860-913-2550, ext. 244, or email at nmarohn@ctfightsMS.org.
9/15/09
Sean O'Leary
Communications Specialist
National MS Society - Connecticut Chapter
659 Tower Avenue, First Floor
Hartford, CT 06112
tel 860.913.2550, ext. 249
soleary@ctfightsMS.org
www.ctfightsMS.org