Eli Bussotti's parents meet Freeport man who received the teen's organs

Eli Bussotti’s parents never imagined their son’s organs would go to someone who lives barely 5 miles away.

Joy Krumenacker and David Bussotti lost Eli, 17, in October following a car crash.

The still-grieving parents from Brackenridge and Tarentum on Tuesday met Chad Ravotti of Freeport, who received one of Eli’s kidneys and his pancreas.

“It makes my heart so full — it’s immeasurable,” Bussotti said about the meeting. “I realize my son is not coming back, but I can find happiness and love and so much positivity because of what has happened with (Ravotti) and the other recipients.”

Ravotti, 46, had exchanged letters with Eli’s parents for several months prior to the meeting. Eli Bussotti was a senior at Highlands High School.

“It’s just amazing to meet the family of your hero and your best friend,” Ravotti said. “You grow up thinking you know what a hero is made of and you have no idea.”

Ravotti had been living with Type 1 diabetes for 25 years and had reached Stage 5 renal failure. While he was waiting on the transplant list for a kidney and pancreas, he was undergoing eight hours of dialysis a day just to survive.

“It would have been a death sentence for sure,” he said of his diagnosis.

Ravotti, a husband and father of three, had been waiting more than a year for a kidney transplant and just over a month for a pancreas.

“When I very first got the call, it was excitement followed by immediate guilt and pain that I felt for the family,” Ravotti said.

Meeting was an important step as the parents continue to grieve and Ravotti gets a second chance at life. Their meeting happened to occur during National Donate Life month, which brings awareness of organ donation and also honors the families of donors.

“I think we are all so dedicated to spreading the word of how important organ donation is,” Krumenacker said.

They now refer to each other as family and hope to stay in touch and continue to spread awareness of organ donation.

“Chad gives me hope, and hope is very important to my ability to thrive,” Krumenacker said. “I’m so honored to be sitting here with him, and my heart is just full.”

Ravotti got to hear stories and see photos of Eli to learn about the teen whom he now carries with him wherever he goes.

“I wish I met him, but I know that I know him,” Ravotti said.

Ravotti is able to continue working at Peoples Gas and finally has enough energy to go hunting and fishing again, which is something he hasn’t been able to do for years.

“Now, not only do I have the opportunity to share those interests, which my son loves, but I have the opportunity to do that with Eli and my son,” Ravotti said. “Besides me gaining another best friend, my son has gained another best friend in Eli.”