For Rich and Donna Albanese-DeMair, community service in New Jersey has always gone far beyond running the iconic Plainfield Dairy Queen. This summer, the Union County couple took their lifelong commitment to giving back to a national stage, representing Team Liberty at the 2026 Transplant Games of America in Denver, Colorado.
The biennial event brought together thousands of transplant recipients, living donors, and donor families from across all 50 states for a week of athletic competition and celebration. For the Albanese-DeMairs, the journey to Denver marked an extraordinary personal milestone tied to two decades of lifesaving miracles.
A 20-year legacy of life-giving courage
The couple’s connection to organ donation spans more than twenty years:
- May 2002: Donna became a living donor by donating a kidney to save the life of her mother, Adele Albanese.
- May 2022: Exactly 20 years later, after fighting advanced heart disease, Rich received a lifesaving heart transplant.
Reflecting on their journey, Donna shared the deep emotion of walking into the Games alongside thousands of individuals whose lives were touched by donation.
“Being a living donor has always been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life, and celebrating with Rich after everything we have been through made it even more special,” Donna said.
For Rich, every event was a tribute to the stranger who gave him a second chance.
“Every mile I rode on my bicycle and every moment I spent with Team Liberty reminded me that I wouldn’t be here without my donor and his family,” Rich noted. “I hope our story encourages more people to register as organ and tissue donors and consider becoming living donors because those decisions truly save lives.”
Bringing home the medals for Team Liberty
Competing for Team Liberty—a program of the Sharing Network Foundation representing participants across New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut—the couple proved their competitive spirit on and off the court:
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Donna Albanese-DeMair: Earned a Silver Medal in doubles bowling.
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Rich Albanese-DeMair: Competed in cycling and helped Team Liberty capture a Bronze Medal in the trivia competition.
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Joint Events: The duo completed the 5K event together and joined fellow participants in setting a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of living organ donors and transplant recipients (966 participants assembled in one place).
In addition to advocating for the NJ Sharing Network, the couple is deeply embedded in New Jersey’s charitable landscape. Beyond serving soft-serve and treats at their family-owned Plainfield establishment, Rich is widely known throughout the Garden State for his inspiring bicycle donation program.
Through partnerships with roughly 15 local charitable organizations, Rich has personally refurbished and donated 5,476 bicycles to children and teens across New Jersey—a labor of love he continues to expand in honor of his heart donor’s legacy.
According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and the NJ Sharing Network, more than 100,000 Americans—including nearly 4,000 New Jersey residents—are currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant.
