Our Mission

The Michael Vincent Sage Dragonheart Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in loving honor of its namesake, who passed away in 2010 at the untimely age of 29 from a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), the leading cause of cardiac-related deaths in the United States. MVS Dragonheart Foundation fills the immense gap in public education about the potential for CPR and Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) to provide lifesaving intervention. MVS Dragonheart Foundation empowers bystanders with increased access to AEDs in key public locations, including schools and athletic facilities and a stronger understanding of the ease and safe use of AEDs, when available.

President, Azadeh Rezvani
Secretary – Treasurer, Lauren Rossi
Directors, Russell Sage, Christine Sage Simons, Alaina Muniz, Patti Iannucci, and Chris Arena.

Michael’s family and friends read the following parable, written to explain death to young children, shortly after his passing. Though intended to be simple in its content, the story served a much deeper meaning for those whom knew Michael best. So much so that when it was decided to form a non-profit in his memory, the name “Dragonheart” seemed wholly appropriate. After all, Michael will always be the dragonfly whose heart serves our mission.

The story begins with a colony of waterbugs who spend their days scurrying around in the mud at the bottom of a pond. Every now and then, a water bug would climb up the stem of a lily pad and disappear from sight. The waterbugs agreed that the next one to make that journey would return to tell the others where he or she had gone.

But when the next waterbug climbed up the lily stalk and broke through the surface of the water, she was amazed at what she saw! Her body had changed, so now she had four silver wings, and a long tail! She was a Dragonfly!

She began to fly, swooping and diving with glee through the air, the bright sunshine warming her new body. Then she remembered her promise to return to her friends. She could see them at the bottom of the pond, but when she darted down towards them, she bounced off the water’s surface.

Now that she was a Dragonfly, she could no longer go into the water. At first, she was dismayed, but then she understood that her friends would all one day join her. They would then soar happily together in the awesome and colorful new world of air and sunshine.

In our waterbug world, we grieve the loss of our loved one who seem to disappear from our sight. Let us hold onto the message of the Dragonfly who gives us a glimpse of the wonder of life everlasting.