Elissa Montanti
In 1997, Elissa reached out to the then UN Ambassador from Bosnia, with an offer to send school supplies and toys to the child victims of the war in Bosnia & Herzegovina. The Ambassador responded by reading her a young boy's letter. The Bosnian child, Kenan Malkic, had lost both arms and one leg when he had stepped on a land mine. Elissa quickly comprehended the far more urgent needs of the children in war-torn Bosnia. She immediately recruited airlines, hospitals, physicians and prosthetic companies to donate their services. Shortly after, Kenan and his mother arrived at JFK Airport. During their four months' stay with Elissa, and through Elissa's tireless actions, Kenan received two new arms, a new leg, and a new life.
Soon after, out of the walk-in closet of her one-bedroom home, Elissa founded the non-profit, non-partisan Global Medical Relief Fund. Since its founding in 1997, Elissa and GMRF have helped over 500 children from over 50 countries. The injured children come from regions that offer only minimal medical care, poorly fitted prostheses, or none at all.
Ms. Montanti lives in Staten Island, New York. Her passions include music, painting and poetry. Her poetry has won recognition from the American Poetry Society.
The Book
Read the inspiring book that tells Elissa's personal story of her founding of the Global Medical Relief Fund.
I'll Stand By You: One Woman's Mission to Heal the Children of the World
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Honors / Notable Mentions
Elissa, dubbed "the Saint of Staten Island" by People Magazine, was recognized as a CNN Hero in 2018. Her numerous awards include the Amnesty International "Modern Day Saints" award, the "Heart of a Woman" award from Dr. Phil and his wife, Robin, the Wagner College DaVinci Award, New York State Women of Distinction, and the Staten Island Advance's 2012 Woman of Achievement award. She holds an Honorary Doctorate from Muhlenberg College, the President's Medal from St. John's University, and was voted one of the 12 Most Inspiring People of the Year by Beliefnet.com in 2006.
