'A Heart For Helping Others': NJ Nurse Lives On Through Organ, Tissue Donation & 5K Team

HAZLET, NJ — Lisa Marie Beverly, a devoted ICE nurse and organ and tissue donor, was known for wanting to help others.

Beverly, 40, of Hazlet, passed away on December 8, 2022, at Jersey Shore University Hospital, but her compassionate spirit has lived on through her family and the lives she helped save as an organ and tissue donor.

Her liver helped save a 61-year-old woman, her kidneys saved a 31-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman, and her corneas restored sight for two people.

Beverly’s legacy has not only lived on through the lives of those she helped save, but her memory will also be honored in the NJ Sharing Network’s 5K Celebration of Life on May 17 in Ocean Grove.

The annual event raises funds to support the Sharing Network Foundation, which aims to increase the number of lives saved through clinical advancement, family support, public awareness, and education.

In May, Beverly's sister, Amy Beagan, and her family will walk and run in honor of Beverly at the event.

“Lisa always had a heart for helping others,” Beagan said. “She became a nurse because she wanted to make a difference, and even when she was gone, she still found a way to help.”

“Organ and tissue donation was something Lisa believed in deeply,” Beagan continued. “I’m grateful she made that decision. It gave us comfort knowing she helped give life to others. The 5K Celebration of Life is one of the most powerful ways that we honor her memory.”

Before Beverly became an ICU nurse, her professional career began at the Charles E. Gregory School of Nursing. She then went on to serve in the ICU at Bayshore Medical Center, where she was known for staying calm under pressure and her unwavering commitment to patients.

Outside the hospital, Beverly was a registered organ and tissue donor who proudly displayed the “Donate Life” license plate on her car, which was just one symbol of her advocacy.

Today, Beverly is survived by her daughter, Jaidyn Marie Honan, and her parents, Thomas and Diane (Hriczko) Beverly, who continue to honor her memory alongside Amy.

At Jaidyn’s request, Amy became the captain of the “Lisa’s Butterflies” 5K team, which has participated in the NJ Sharing Network’s Ocean Grove 5K for the last three years. The team, made up of family and friends, raised $1,200 last year and continues to grow each year.

“Blue and butterflies — Lisa’s favorite color and symbol — now adorn our team’s 5K gear in tribute to her vibrant personality and the life she lived in service to others,” Beagan said.

The NJ Sharing Network’s 5K Celebration of Life is one of the largest and most recognized charitable events in New Jersey.

For 15 years, the event has brought together thousands of transplant recipients, donor families, living donors, and dedicated volunteers and advocates to support the Sharing Network Foundation, with funds raised by participants going to support the network.

The 5K Celebration of Life Walk and USATF Certified Races will be held on Saturday, May 17, in Ocean Grove and on Sunday, June 8, in New Providence, NJ. The Ocean Grove 5K is presented by MTF Biologics, and the New Providence 5K is presented by RWJBarnabas Health.

To sign up to participate in the 5K Celebration of Life or contribute to a team, you can visit their website.