Community group event provides $3,000 aid to Wilmington woman amid fiancé’s transplant recovery
NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — When Vanessa Vaccaro moved here with her fiancé Steven McCauslin, they knew no one.
“I had just moved here; my fiancé had gotten a new job in the area, and I didn’t know anybody,” said Vaccaro.
She then stumbled upon Wanderlust Wilmington 2.0, a Facebook group that administrator Samuel Rowell says “transplants” could join to make new connections.
“It was just so people that move here that didn’t know anybody could meet up,” said Rowell.
To deepen those connections, Wanderlust Wilmington 2.0 holds an annual “Shock N’ Clause” event, a pay-it-forward donation drive to help a family in need during the holiday season.
“Shock N Claus has always been one of my favorite events to attend and usually I leave here with my heart happy knowing that, you know, we helped a family in need,” said Vaccaro.
On Wednesday, she arrived at the event without knowing that Wanderlust made her the recipient of a $3,000 gift.
“For the donation to go to me, means more than anything,” said Vaccaro.
Why did she get the money?
Vaccaro’s fiancé Steve was in dire need of a liver transplant; so sick, to the point his kidneys were beginning to fail.
After being placed on the list rather quickly due to the severity, Steve was able to find an anonymous donor and received a transplant.
He’s in the hospital and couldn’t attend Wednesday’s ceremony.
But Vaccaro made sure to share the good news on facetime — an act of generosity likely to inspire his recovery.
“Getting up. Standing up is what we’re working on because I can’t walk by myself and that’s my goal for the first couple of weeks, is just to be able to stand,” said McCauslin.
The donation will aid Vanessa and Steve with hospital fees and hotel fees; with Vanessa staying in a hotel while Steve remains in Duke Hospital.
Vaccaro says the support from these connections during this life-changing moment means everything to her and her fiancé.
“It means that I have people here, that Steve and I have people here, that love us and care about us and are really looking out for us,” said Vaccaro.
