Frederick “Fred” Hart

Fred was a strong and loving husband, father and mentor. Always ready to tell a joke about something.

We met at 17 years of age and he told me on our second date, that I would be his wife someday. Married 21 years, he adored our two daughters and son. Fred trained our 11 year old son in basketball and football, and was a volunteer coach at the neighborhood parks.To the community kids, he was so much more than a coach.

Despite being on dialysis since 2008, he would work extra hours at his part time job to buy for the children he mentored. No amount of pain would stop Fred from showing up at work, being on the sideline all across the country for his son, picking up loads of kids who didn't have transportation, feeding the hungry, or lending a helping hand to anyone in need.

Fred was hopeful that he would receive a kidney until his last dry run for an organ. He shared with me upon exiting Tulane Hospital at 1 a.m., six months before he passed, that he would not last long enough to wait for another possible donor call, as his body was getting weaker. However, he never gave up, and set out to spend more time with his family, coached at an additional park to reach more kids, and continued to keep everyone who came in contact with him full of laughter with his jokes.

Fred was always doing whatever he could to help someone else live better through his mantra, "I'm God's child." His final act was that of a sight giver.