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Concert raises $1,200 for medical bills

Published: Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Updated: Thursday, March 5, 2009 17:03

Evan's Guts

Christina DeParis

Evan's Guts

Christina DeParis

A year and a half ago, Evan Wishnia, a 25-year-old Full Sail alum, didn't think he was going to live through 2007.

After an emergency removal of 95 percent of his small intestine, Wishnia struggled through complications while waiting for an organ transplant. Unsure of his future, he anxiously held on while waiting for his operation scheduled earlier this year.

Fully recovered, Wishnia stood surrounded by supporters at Natura Coffee & Tea Friday night.

Evan's best friend Marc Kozlow, assistant manager of Natura Tea & Coffee, a popular UCF hangout, hosted "Save Evan's Guts!"—a benefit concert to help raise money for Wishnia's costly medical bills following his successful surgery.

Through the help of Kozlow's band, Sterling Schroeder and the Chosen Ones, and other local artists such as Peter Baldwin, the benefit raised nearly $1,200 for Wishnia through raffles, silent auctions, and donations.

Baldwin, who began his set with an upbeat, soulful remake of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song, has been playing shows at Natura for over a year.

"Natura is a great place for the benefit," Baldwin said.  "Everyone here is chill and the crowds are always great."

In addition to raffles and donations, Kozlow contacted IHeartGuts.com to make custom T-shirts to support Wishnia's cause.

"I was really pleased with everything," said Kozlow. "That our economy is in such a recession and everyone was able to come out and help makes me glad that we haven't lost everything in the world."

The benefit brought in a crowd of about 150, which is a lot more than what Natura is used to, according to Kozlow.   

At the benefit concert, friends were glad to see Wishnia healthy again after his surgery two months ago.

"He lost a lot of weight, he looked discolored for a while," said Adam Kozlow, Marc Kozlow's brother.  "It's good to see him back to normal again."

After his surgery, Wishnia was able to find and identify his organ donor.

"In a while, I'm going to write a letter to the family of the person who donated their organs to me," said Evan.  "I want to let them know that with their loss of life, they helped save another."

To donate to Wishnia's cause contact Marc Kozlow at marckoz@gmail.com.

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