Bell Works Tower Will Be Lit Pink In Memory Of Holmdel Child

HOLMDEL, NJ — The Bell Works water tower will be lit in hot pink Friday, the day after what would have been Vienna Carly Savino's eighth birthday on Jan. 19.

For Vienna's mom, Denise Wunderler, the moment will be a way to publicly honor the memory of her little girl whose favorite color was hot pink.

But it will also bring much-needed attention to the reason she died - Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC).

In 2017, Vienna was a healthy, happy toddler, said Wunderler, who is also a medical doctor. She and her family now live near Hershey, Pa. Her husband Michael Savino is also a medical doctor.

"She fell asleep while watching TV at home in Holmdel, and never woke up again," her mother said of Vienna.

Wunderler said an autopsy could find no reason for her death. So it was categorized as SUDC or better understood as "SIDS Part 2," Wunderler said.

She said that "everyone knows SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)." But she has since learned that the medical community and the community at large is not as aware as it needs to be of SUDC.

And she has spent the last years raising awareness and funds to research a very real condition that can steal away a child from ages 1 to 18.

She founded the nonprofit Team Vienna 4 SUDC Awareness and co-founded The SUDC Coalition.

She, her family and Team Vienna work hard to remember Vienna in unique ways, she said, while raising funds for research and educating the world about SUDC.

"Child loss is a devastating journey that continues for life. We will always be a family of five," Wunderler said.

When the family lived in Holmdel, they would drive by Bell Works often and the idea for a tribute there at the iconic 60-foot tower - that the whole community could see - took shape, Wunderler said. This is the third consecutive year the tower has been lit.

From the beginning of Wunderler's work on SUDC, Bell Works and the businesses there have been very supportive of Team Vienna, she said.

Everyone is invited to visit OasisVRX inside Bell Works, where special Vienna roses, books, and “Songs for Vienna” music CDs will be given away in honor of Vienna.

In addition, Vienna’s big sister will be selling her homemade jewelry and other items, with proceeds going to Team Vienna. This "pop-up" will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday. The family also has a son.

And the next team Vienna event will be an indoor walk at Bell Works on May 20 at 9 a.m. for the Sixth Annual Vienna’s Day of International SUDC Awareness. Online registration is coming soon.

For information or to donate to the cause, visit https://vienna.team/. You can also visit Team Vienna's Facebook site.

The name "Vienna" came from Wunderler's own Austrian heritage, she said - that and the fact her other two children's names start with a "V."

And Vienna's name will be on the lips of many for her birthday anniversary.

The tower will be lit from dusk to dawn on Friday, and Wunderler said the event will bring her back to the community where she has developed many friends and supporters.

Through social media, starting with Facebook, Team Vienna has achieved worldwide support, Wunderler said. She often lectures on the condition. Recently, for example, she delivered a virtual lecture to a medical clinic at the South Pole.

She has videos from runners and teams around the world who have raised funds for Team Vienna, a concept that began with a team running in a St. James School (Red Bank) race in Sea Bright a few years ago.

In past years, Wunderler has raised money for the Robert's Program SUDC research at Boston Children's Hospital. But this year, she said proceeds will go toward a short, personal documentary film about SUDC and about Vienna.

There will be a film crew on hand and she hopes to enter the film in film festivals to give it wider distribution once it is completed.

For Wunderler, it's about education and awareness about SUDC, and sharing Vienna's story.

"This is an underserved medical tragedy. I want to inspire people who want to do something about it. I want to get it out into the world," she said.