Save One Life honored the Massie family Thursday night at its second annual gala. About 150 guests arrived at the Commons, in Topsfield, Massachusetts under sunny skies to enjoy cocktails, dinner, business networking and to honor the people who have helped make Save One Life so special.
Nelson Escoto, president of Bleeding Disorder Resource Network, received Sponsor of the Year award, for supporting a sponsorship for each new patient he receives on his service. The lobby wall at his office is covered with photos of their beneficiaries. Before the night was over, Nelson would sponsor 5 more children with hemophilia!

The elegant dining room

Laurie Kelley as host

Guests enjoy the good New England weather

The Massie family

Bob Massie accepts his award

Adriana Henderson, founder of STAR Children Relief, won an award for Program Partner of the Year for her work in Romania, where Save One Life has many beneficiaries. Her photos of the children brought tears to the eyes of many in the audience. Laurie Kelley made a special plea to the audience to help raise an additional $2,500 to meet the cost of camp this year, only a few weeks away. By evening’s end, all the funds were raised. Sasha Zatyrka, director of the Colburn-Keenan Foundation, presented Adriana with a $1,000 check.
The highlight of the evening was duo awards presented to mother-son team of Suzanne and Bob Massie. Bob Massie was given an Inspiration Award first, for his life of public service, particularly in representing hemophilia to the public. Bob’s newest book, A Song in the Night, a Memoir of Resilience, was just released and Doubleday Books generously donated copies for each guest. Bob, a gifted orator, share a story about his childhood to highlight how his mother Suzanne kept his faith and hope alive that he would be okay despite his hemophilia. Bob has a long list of accomplishments that would exhaust an average person, let alone one with multiple chronic illnesses and frequent setbacks. He most recently ran for US Senate, and now is president of a nonprofit.

Attendees enjoy dinner

Nelson Escoto, president of BDRN, accepting his award as Sponsor of the Year

Sasha Zatyrka presents a $1,000 check from the ColburnKeenan Foundation for the Romanian Camp Ray of Hope

Adriana Henderson accepts her award

Bob and Suzanne Massie autograph their books

Suzanne Massie is co-author of Journey, the first book about hemophilia in America, which poignantly details life with a child with hemophilia in the 1960s. She became an expert on Russia after helping research and write Nicholas and Alexandra. She went on to author several books about Russia, still in print today. She created the Firebird Foundation to help youths with hemophilia in St. Petersburg, Russia, and as Laurie pointed out, was the inspiration for Save One Life. When Laurie worked with Suzanne on the Firebird Foundation, she saw first-hand what one woman could do to change the lives of so many in need. Suzanne has a new book in the works, about her years advising president Ronald Regan on Russia as the end of the Cold War was coming. In a warm and gracious speech, this elegant lady still showed the passion which drove her to accomplish so much and change the lives of so many. The audience was mesmerized and gave her a standing ovation at its end. It was a great privilege to have the ever-active Massies with Save One Life for the evening, and to present such well-deserved awards. The evening ended with book signings, and the silent auction, and many, many happy memories

Laurie presents the Inspiration Award to Suzanne Massie, author, humanitarian, presidential advisor and pioneer in hemophilia