As Thanksgiving approaches I’ve been inspired to write a tribute to three friends in my life who have amazed me, inspired me and challenged me to be a stronger and more compassionate soul. They may not know it, but I see them as very powerful forces, fighting for the good that is in everyone and I am grateful and honored to know them.

Tony Pedeferri
Husband, Father, Friend, Survivor
This brave man has faced adversity that you and I could never dream of. His life hung in the balance on the eve of December 19, 2007 when he was found unconscious on the side of Highway 1, having been hit by a driver who was under the influence of numerous illegal substances. I thank God for his CHP helmet! This single event has drastically changed my life this year. I began to see life from the other side: impetuously short, totally out of our control, unpredictable, and even eternal. At the waking moments of his near death tragedy, I prayed through tears for his family to fall more in love with each other and they have; I prayed that Tony would not give up and he hasn’t; I prayed that God would walk beside him every day and He has as evidence by their awesome network of friends, family and aides. TRULY AWESOME! Even during times of pain and deep loss, it can be full of brief moments of joy that would otherwise go unnoticed. I watched from a side line far away as his determination to fight and will to prevail beat the urge to give up. It was awe inspiring. Even more humbling was to see his spirit of forgiveness extend out to the young man that maimed him and forever changed his life. So even though life has taken Tony down a path he didn’t plan for, he is rolling with the punches and learning to adapt to a “new normal”. I honor you, Tony with my life that is forever changed. Never again will I take for granted the simple things that can be swept away so quickly. Thank you for allowing us to humbly observe your new life take shape. Best of luck with your new foundation too, I’m sure it will impacts thousands of lives down the road.

Marie Delahaye
Wife, Mother, Mentor, Friend, Role Model
Marie, my supervisor at Abgenix for a number of years, was to me a person who modeled hard work, dedication and true leadership in her every day routines. While working at Abgenix, she and a group of compassionate individuals founded a non-profit organization that provided aid and education to the people of Cambodia. What a compassionate heart I could see in Marie. When Abgenix was bought by Amgen in 2006 she decided to go work as a program manager for a company that was collaborating on therapeutics to treat illnesses such as malaria for third world countries. Marie doesn’t just show kindness for other countries but is now working with the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program as a mentor for an at-risk high school girl in her community. She told me about this program over dinner earlier this year and right then something inside told me I could help in the same way. Thank you, Marie for inspiring me over the years to reach out of my comfort zone and touch the poor, to aid the needy and to find joy in other people’s triumphs, no matter how small. I now serve San Mateo County as a brand new CASA, thanks to Marie’s inspiration.

Chuck Trunks
Artist, Long-time Friend, Entrepreneur, and a true purveyor of joie de vivre
Chuck Trunks came into my life as a colleague many years ago at Amgen. I was fresh out of college and it was when I started developing a routine that included close to two hours at the gym every work day that Chuck and I became close friends. We ran together on the weekends, chatted during our exercises at the Amgym and competed in running races throughout the state. Chuck faced some changes within this past year that I’m not sure I would have weather well. He did it with such panache that he made it look easy, but I know better. He was offered early retirement from a carefully developed position within Amgen after close to 20 years of giving his heart and soul to his biotech career. He showed me that we are not the sum of our biggest, highest career moves and titles, rather the integrity of the person is what ought to earn one’s respect. Chuck is now creating art from his home-based art studio that isn’t simply nice to look at; his art has a message for the onlooker, it is art that abides by his terms and political conscious. He is changing the world one glimpse, one thought at a time. He is quite successful and even has a Malibu art gallery carrying his work. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Chuck more than I think he’ll ever realize. Chuck, next to my parents, has lasted as one of my biggest life supporters. He cheers me on from Southern California now, but I’ve never felt the distance when we make time to re-connect. His sense of humor lights me up and his acceptance of who I am frees me to be just that, me. He is one of the best mirrors into my life, not judging me, allowing me to discover what I need, unraveling who I am, while not imposing his values on me or criticizing me. I needed that this year as I struggled to know where to go next in life. He motivated me to search deep inside and look for what is worthy of true passion in life, to be true to myself and I have never looked back. Thank you.

It was the mix of the above three characters in my life’s play that set the stage for a significant and meaningful 2008 thus far. I hope to portray their strength, compassion and zeal each and every day I have been given.

We’ll never know how long we have and we may never know whose lives we truly reach into, so I encourage you to live each day as if it’s YOUR last!


Many Blessings,


Jana