As I ended yesterdays blog "If you could save a life would you?", I promised I was going somewhere with it, so, here it is....A movie, "The 5th Quarter," is coming out in select theaters this month, March 25th. It is based on an inspirational TRUE story.
About The Story
-In February 2006, young Luke Abbate accepted a ride home from a fellow student following his high-school team practice. In a severe case of irresponsible and reckless teen-age driving, and over the objections of Luke and the other young passengers, the driver lost control of the car at nearly 90 miles-per-hour, spinning off a narrow road and landing in an embankment some seventy feet below. Luke suffered irreparable brain damage, and died in the hospital two days later – just four days before his sixteenth birthday.
-While in the hospital, the Abbate family made the difficult decision to permit the doctors to utilize Luke’s organs in a nationwide organ transplant program. Five recipients were almost immediately identified, including a young mother who was suffering with serious heart disease. Sharing an uncommon blood type, Luke’s heart was flown to the young woman’s hospital location across the country, resulting in a successful heart transplant, and saving her life.
-Following his brother’s death, Jon considered giving up his football career – but knew that doing so would not properly honor the younger brother who loved and idolized him. Upon his return to Wake Forest, Jon was given the approval of head coach Jim Grobe to change his number from his long-standing 40, to his brother’s number 5. And, in so doing, dedicated the new season to the memory of his brother. The Abbate family founded The Luke Abbate 5th Quarter Foundation for the purposes of educating young people nationwide to the dangers and life-altering consequences of irresponsible driving.
-A tradition began to evolve during the following Wake Forest games. In paying homage to Luke, Jon would signal his family sitting in the stands (Section 5) by holding up his hand with all 5 fingers out stretched. He did this at the end of the third quarter. Gradually, the rest of his team started to do the same. Within a couple of games, players from both teams, the fans in the stands, and those watching the games on television, would begin the final quarter by raising their hands with all 5 fingers out stretched in honor of Luke’s memory. The final quarter became known as Luke’s Quarter, the 5th Quarter, and this humble signal crystallized the entire team. And, although having lost their starting quarterback, starting running back, and starting defensive end to injuries at the beginning of the season, Wake Forest went on to complete their most successful season in school history, winning 11 games against 2 losses. Coach Grobe was selected the ACC’s Coach-Of-The-Year, and Jon performed brilliantly in the ACC Championship Game with fifteen solo tackles against powerhouse Georgia Tech.
-In February 2006, young Luke Abbate accepted a ride home from a fellow student following his high-school team practice. In a severe case of irresponsible and reckless teen-age driving, and over the objections of Luke and the other young passengers, the driver lost control of the car at nearly 90 miles-per-hour, spinning off a narrow road and landing in an embankment some seventy feet below. Luke suffered irreparable brain damage, and died in the hospital two days later – just four days before his sixteenth birthday.
-While in the hospital, the Abbate family made the difficult decision to permit the doctors to utilize Luke’s organs in a nationwide organ transplant program. Five recipients were almost immediately identified, including a young mother who was suffering with serious heart disease. Sharing an uncommon blood type, Luke’s heart was flown to the young woman’s hospital location across the country, resulting in a successful heart transplant, and saving her life.
-Following his brother’s death, Jon considered giving up his football career – but knew that doing so would not properly honor the younger brother who loved and idolized him. Upon his return to Wake Forest, Jon was given the approval of head coach Jim Grobe to change his number from his long-standing 40, to his brother’s number 5. And, in so doing, dedicated the new season to the memory of his brother. The Abbate family founded The Luke Abbate 5th Quarter Foundation for the purposes of educating young people nationwide to the dangers and life-altering consequences of irresponsible driving.-A tradition began to evolve during the following Wake Forest games. In paying homage to Luke, Jon would signal his family sitting in the stands (Section 5) by holding up his hand with all 5 fingers out stretched. He did this at the end of the third quarter. Gradually, the rest of his team started to do the same. Within a couple of games, players from both teams, the fans in the stands, and those watching the games on television, would begin the final quarter by raising their hands with all 5 fingers out stretched in honor of Luke’s memory. The final quarter became known as Luke’s Quarter, the 5th Quarter, and this humble signal crystallized the entire team. And, although having lost their starting quarterback, starting running back, and starting defensive end to injuries at the beginning of the season, Wake Forest went on to complete their most successful season in school history, winning 11 games against 2 losses. Coach Grobe was selected the ACC’s Coach-Of-The-Year, and Jon performed brilliantly in the ACC Championship Game with fifteen solo tackles against powerhouse Georgia Tech.
You can watch the trailer to this powerful movie here: http://the5thquartermovie.com/
The Abbate Family started a scholarship foundation: The Luke Abbate Fifth Quarter Foundation was created to:
*Raise awareness among teenagers and parents about the life-and-death consequences of teenage driving.
*Raise awareness among teenagers and parents about the life-saving gift of organ donation.
*Raise awareness among teenagers and parents about the life-saving gift of organ donation.
"Twenty-four agonizing, heart-wrenching hours later, doctors declared Luke brain dead. We kept him alive in order to harvest his organs so others could live. He died on Feb. 15, 2006 -- four days before his 16th birthday."--- Steven Abbate
I am so excited that a movie is coming out that will touch on the subject of organ donation. When people are educated about something then they are less afraid because they know, they understand.
I am a huge fan of the popular TV show Desperate Housewives! Right now Susan's character (Teri Hatcher) is needing a life saving kidney transplant. The past few episodes have been touching on the subject of donation and how dire it is for people to BE donors. Sundays episode even talked about some of the myths that I listed in yesterday's blog. It is SO refreshing to see a light being shined on the subject. It makes me happy to know that people that probably would not seek the information on their own are being educated (most likely without even knowing it!)
Lauren I saw this blog so I watched the trailer...Wow looks like a really great movie. I am not sure if I can watch it right now, because I barely got through the trailer. But I do want to see it! What an amazing story. Thanks for sharing!
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