NEW - Seasons Greetings from the Black Family

NEW
A "Super Bright" Memorial for Lani Moon


under the auspices of

ABOUT THE FUND

Once in a blue moon, a person comes along with an inborn capacity to transform their world into a place of beauty, peace and joy. Such rare people are lauded by religions, heralded by poets and sage writers, regarded as celebrities or given medals for their heroic contributions. They teach us things that we overlook, help us imagine, brighten a moment of our lives, influence our thinking and inspire us to dream and struggle for the sake of our children and future generations. Lani was one such divine manifestation.

Embarking on a professional recording and stage career at age 18, Lani Hendrie-Kraft chose Lani Moon for her stage name. The name signified her romantic view of life. She believed that like the guiding light of the moon in the dark of night,  through her music and personal charisma she could help illuminate the lives of others with the life-affirming messages she carried in her heart: be ever-thankful for the time you have with your loved ones, seek meaning in everything you do and everyone you meet, be inspiring, practice compassion, valiantly fight to overcome obstacles you face, prize the joyful moments of your life, stay true to your purpose, work to turn ideals into reality and express your admiration of anyone who aspires to do so. This young woman possessed the talent to be a great performer, the heart of a selfless spirit and the mind of a wise sage — beautiful, inspiring and brave. She had an unforgettable impact on nearly everyone she ever met — no matter how briefly. She had a message for all who cared to listen...and she practiced what she preached. She abhorred the abuse of children. She never wasted a moment. She guided people to reach their dreams. She encouraged everyone to strive beyond their limitations. She challenged individuals to be real. She loved aspiration no matter how it was expressed and manifested her aspiration through her enlightened music and profound wisdom. She held within her a faith of cosmic and everlasting proportion.

Her untimely death at the age of 23 on 12.22.98 after a year-long battle with a massive infection in her heart is at once a tragedy and a turning point. She would have given this world more than one can imagine and the personal touch with which she would have done so will remain forever irreplaceable. Nevertheless, in her short time in this mortal place she showed that transforming ourselves and the world we live in is the most daunting yet most worthwhile of tasks. Her family and friends pledge to continue her extraordinary resolve on her behalf through The Lani Moon Compassionate Causes Fund under the auspices of the EverLife Foundation. Lani’s three wishes — to protect children from abuse, to further the development of healing music, to contribute to an enlightened understanding of human existence — will be the mission of this effort.

The Board of Directors and Review Committees of The Lani Moon Compassionate Causes Fund (CCF) invites applicants to submit proposals for consideration in:

•   Child Safety — projects dedicated to the protection of children from abuse.
•   Healing Music — efforts that foster awareness, development and use of music for healing purposes.
•   Profound Understanding — research grants, scholarships, educational programs, academic studies and communication technologies that further understanding and enhance our abilities for enlightened communications.

Awards made by the Lani Moon CCF:

Born Into A Cage: The Emancipation of Tony Black
Mimi and Warren Black and their adopted son Tony came to our attention through a story featured on ABC-TV’s 20/20 program (Feb. 12, 1999). Tony’s birth parents had kept him in a cage from infancy to the age of five. The Blacks rescued him, gave him love and a nurturing home. The Lani Moon CCF proudly has awarded them a year-long monthly income supplement to help defer the costs of his care and education. More information.

The Healing Power of Music
The Lani Moon CCF provides funding for the development of a public television documentary called “Healing Power of Music.” The project is due to be completed for broadcast in the year 2000 on WGBH-TV in Boston, Massachusetts and other PBS channels. More information.

For more information:

EverLife Foundation
The Lani Moon CCF
811 Adair Place
Del Rey Oaks, CA 93940
U.S.A.

or send us an e-mail: click here for the Lani Moon CCF at Everlife Foundation

For more information about Fund goals please check our Mission Statement.

DECEMBER 22, 1999:
THE BRIGHTEST MOON IN 133 YEARS

“Gift of the Tide”
photo featuring
Lani Moon
(Newport, R.I. 1997)

LANI MOON

The lifetime of a person who dies at the young age of 23 is much too short to be measured by a list of accomplishments or accolades. Nevertheless, Lani (“Heavenly” in Hawaiian) managed to contribute more than one would expect in her brief sojourn through mortal life. One might ask, legitimately, by what standard is her memory worthy of special remembrance? Did she amass riches, attain fame, lead others, invent or discover something significant? Why does she rate having a Fund in her name? The answer is simple. To Lani everyone was worthy.

The Ballet
Lani was born among the skyscrapers, museums and pizza parlors of Manhattan on May 19, 1975. The busy energy and creative aspirations that surrounded her from early childhood became her own. Growing up in a city that never sleeps, she started life running. Lani was accepted into The Joffrey Company Ballet School at the age of six. Encouraged by her grandmother, Florence, a former dancer with the famed Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, every single day Lani practiced the skills of dance. Even at this formative stage, it was already obvious. She inherently possessed a dynamic and focused intensity, which in synergy with her photographic mind enabled her to instantly duplicate and gracefully interpret any string of steps her world-class teachers demanded. Lani exuded something intangible yet palpable, something unique yet familiar — dignity, style, charisma. Her face blossomed upon her neck like a flower sitting perfectly on a long stalk. She held her wrist in the air as though it rested softly on a cloud. By the age of ten, as three New York-based international troupes vied for her services, she joined the New York Metropolitan Opera Company for their Christmas Special performed at Lincoln Center.

Dark Secret
Lani’s future was bright for all to see, but hidden even from her parents a dark shadow had been lurking in her heart. On the verge of a major career, Lani abruptly expressed her desire to leave the city and live the life of a “normal kid.” Her parents obliged and moved out of the city to suburban New Jersey. Once removed from the only environment she had known as a child, Lani revealed a terrible secret that had hounded her since she was six. The little ballerina had been abused by a family caregiver.

Only twelve, Lani embarked on a mission of reconstructing her inner self. This was a daunting task. The natural well of emotion all children own from birth had run dry — the consequence of an untimely and unnatural assault on her precious innocence. She now had to dig a new one to replace it.

Rising to the Challenge
Choosing to live with her father in River Vale, New Jersey, she consumed his love, guidance, encouragement and faith in her with the fervent desire that one lost in a desert has for the taste of water. Slowly, she restored herself — facing each day as a challenge worth waking up for. Each moment became another step in her striving toward the bright future she envisioned before her. She vowed never to be a victim or even a survivor. She saw herself only as a winner. For the rest of her life she would be guided by this vow: each moment is like a precious seed...I will seize my dreams, nurture all that is truly important, spare no effort to create new opportunities for my life to blossom and by example encourage others to do the same.

Lani spent her high school years at Pascack Valley High School where her desire for “a normal life” took the form of daily after-school activities. As she performed splits high in the air the school’s Dance Team won local and regional competitions and surged to a third place finish at the 1991 National Cheerleading Finals broadcast on ESPN. Fresh off that victory, Lani decided that the time had come to face the big city again. Now 17, she felt ready to challenge the inner voices that had told her to retreat.

Shooting for the Moon
Lani returned to Manhattan determined to pursue her lifelong goal: to become a professional performer. Soon, Lani was hired as a featured dancer by some of NYC’s most popular clubs (Limelight, Palladium, ClubUSA, The Tunnel) and appeared in MTV’s pilot Weekend Rave Special. In the midst of New York’s fashion-frenzied night life, her elegant demeanor, creative attire and exotic beauty earned her the respect of celebrities and fans alike. Possessing a remarkable eye for fashion, Lani started her own small line of streetwear / clubwear clothing. While it had a limited run, it sold in NYC’s Macy’s and in stores in Europe.

All the while, Lani worked on developing her vocal techniques under the tutelage of top notch teachers. She had envisioned herself as a pop singer, but knew that to be noticed in that competitive realm she would have to offer something new and exciting. She set out to create a unique stage and recording presence built out of her influences. Musically, her range spanned 40’s and 50’s jazz vocals, 60’s and 70’s soul to 80’s and 90’s dance rhythms. For her image, she adopted the stage name Lani Moon and dressed the part by deploying a “contemporary vintage look” (ranging from elegantly alluring 1940’s attire to bright patterns of Emilio Pucci ). Producers James Dawson and Seth David Walter guided Lani Moon’s debut vocal venture — a 3-song CD titled “What It Takes.”

“What It Takes”
Lani Moon
CD cover

California Connection
Her CD had come to the attention of electronic musician and composer Craig Russo of Santa Cruz, California, when he was asked to remix one of its cuts and turn it into a contemporary dance number. Lani was so impressed with his evocative rearrangement that she decided to go west and collaborate with him on a new album. When they met face to face for the first time, they both knew it immediately. No doubt. They were meant for each other. This was love — at once impulsive and predestined. Lani moved across the country in February of 1997. Soon they were engaged to be married.

Listen to
Craig Russo’s CD
~Advent on
Seedpod Records

Lani took to California like a bird takes to the air. She raised her musical creativity to a new level of excellence. In collaboration Craig and Lani began to hammer out a new musical style — a hybrid of her heartfelt vocal style and his cosmic dance rhythms. She cultivated meaningful new friendships. She flexed her sense of wit. She planned a June wedding. She was on the road to bliss.

The Heart
Sadly, one year after her arrival in Santa Cruz...Lani learned that she had a physical problem with her heart. Doctors told her that she had a damaged valve and would need an operation to replace it. Four years earlier Lani had been hospitalized for a week at New York University Hospital for symptoms of unknown origin. Although during that stay she had experienced fevers as high as 105 degrees F. and inordinately high white blood cell counts, the cause of the problem remained undetermined. Now, doctors found that her heart muscles were badly scarred suggesting that she had several minor heart attacks/spasms in her younger years. These episodes should have disabled a grown adult male, they said.

The situation turned critical in April of 1998, when Lani was diagnosed with a massive infection (endocartitis) of her damaged aorta valve. From that moment on, she fought valiantly for her life — a battle on a scale that mere words cannot express. For some time the insidious infection had grown stealthily in a hidden spot, until it reached the biological pulse bundles that keeps the heart beating. Lani had been admitted to Dominican Hospital for monitoring, when in the middle of the night her heart rate suddenly plunged. Staying by her side and taking quick action, her fiancee Craig saved her life when he alerted medical staff to the emergency. They found that her heart’s beating mechanism had arrested. Lani was evacuated immediately by helicopter to Stanford University Hospital (Palo Alto, CA) for surgery. By morning, one of the world’s foremost heart surgeons, Dr. Stephen Reitz, had saved her life. She had received a new valve and a pacemaker to keep her heart beating. Two days later, at 5 a.m. Lani had to  endure yet another unexpected assault on her life. For no apparent reason, her temporary post-op pacemaker suddenly failed. Responding to the Code Blue alarm triggered by her monitor, doctors and nurses acted with dispatch to save her again. First, they had to pound on her chest to get the heart to respond — the impact of that effort fractured her just-operated broken rib cage. Then, in her recovery bed, a surgeon had to cut her open and connect a permanent pacemaker line into her heart.

The Battle
Although she left the hospital within a week, Lani still had a battle before her. In addition to concerns about the viability of the valve and pacemaker and the damage to her chest bones, the acid-like bacteria that caused the infection was still a danger to her. Surgeons had attempted to clean it out during the operation, but they could not get to it all. In spite of all attempts, the insidious pathogen could not be identified.

The mysterious cause required that for several months she receive massive daily doses of antibiotics through a catheter inserted into her arm. Unfortunately, Lani began to exhibit allergic reactions to the anti-bacterial drug cocktail she received. Her body began to swell and turn red from head to toe, her breathing became increasingly difficult. Once again her life had to be saved, when she went into antiphelactic shock. After six months of dangerous drug therapy, the mysterious bacteria’s stubborn hold on Lani’s heart finally dissipated. Unfortunately, it left its calling card behind. It had damaged the valve Dr. Reitz had installed in April. It burned a tiny hole in it and now blood was leaking into the heart cavity. Lani would need another operation — sooner than doctors would have liked given that she had not had the time to heal completely as yet.

In December of 1998 Lani underwent the valve replacement operation for a second time. The operation was a success. That evening Lani sat up in her Intensive Care bed to declare to her nurses that she will be getting married to Craig in June of 1999. Tragically, another unforeseen complication occurred hours later. Overcome by nausea, Lani began to cough violently. Her fragile body could not withstand the trauma. A heart-lung machine tube tore through her heart and doctors rushed to her side to stop the bleeding. The damage was severe and it took too long to stabilize her. She lapsed into a coma. In the days that followed, friends and family hoped for a miraculous recovery. Throughout the world members of every major religion who had heard about her by word of mouth or through the internet had offered their prayers. Nevertheless, the damage to her was too severe.

Our Hero
Lani Moon had to fight for her life throughout her all-too-short existence. She never once indulged in self-pity. “Feeling sorry for yourself,” she said, “turns you into a zombie.” She refused to be drawn into blaming others for any trouble she had to deal with. “No matter who did what to you,” she said, “in focusing on them you lose yourself.” She epitomized aspiration. “I always ask myself,” she said, “what do I need to accomplish next.” She always had a sense that her time was limited. “What counts is not how long you live,” she said, “but what you do with the time you have.” Lani believed that no matter how talented or smart one individual may be, the greatest accomplishments are those that people accomplish together. Merely three weeks (01.13.99 ) after her passing, at the 11th Annual Digital Be-In in San Francisco, Craig performed an original musical composition with voice-over lyrics by Lani Moon. Her essence wrapped itself around the music. The love and courage coming from her heart was palatable. Her poetic verses pierced the air over the dancing crowd culminating with the words: “Together, we can overcome anything.”

MISSION STATEMENT

Lani possessed profound spiritual awareness. Born and raised a Buddhist, she embraced the notion that her life was a precious gift received at birth. When she looked out at the starry sky touching the Pacific Ocean, she saw eternity. When she met a new person, she looked for “signs of awakening” in their heart. Through The Lani Moon CCF those who loved her and had faith in her, vow to honor Lani’s love and faith in them. This Fund commemorates her dignity, celebrates her spirit, and embodies her eternal presence.

Lani spoke of the things she would like to accomplish in her life and it is from her own words that we derive the Fund’s mission. Lani’s three wishes reflect her ardent desire to transform the world into a better place. They form the philanthropic vows of The Lani Moon CCF, as follows:

Child Safety
We vow to protect children from physical, sexual, emotional and mental abuse, to support adults who provide nurturing environments for children in need, and to aid the rescue of children from neglect, mistreatment and exposure to demeaning and violent behavior. We believe in working to create an ideal world wherein every adult feels a deep responsibility for the safety of all children. We believe this goal to be the first step in accomplishing peace throughout the world.

Healing Music
We vow to use music in healing illnesses and dysfunctions, to educate the public to the healing benefits of music, to help start healing music programs in healthcare facilities, and to promote the development of new musical forms that contribute to healthier mental, emotional and physical functions. We believe in working to create an ideal world wherein music is recognized and employed for its curative powers.

Profound Understanding
We vow to identify common grounds for mutual understanding among individuals and institutions, to probe new ways of thinking and discerning that expand understanding and appreciation of our universal human experiences, and to help develop research and education venues that promote profound understanding across cultural and national boundaries.

CHILD SAFETY

Award #1
To: Mimi and Warren Black
For: Care of Tony Black

In the arena of child safety, Mimi and Warren Black are heroes. The Lani Moon CCF is proud to grant a year-long monthly income supplement to help in the care and education of their adopted son Tony. We hope that their story inspires others to become selfless volunteers dedicated to the safety and well-being of all children everywhere.

Their story first appeared on ABC-TV’s 20/20 program.

Born Into A Cage: The Emancipation of Tony Black
Tony’s birth parents had kept him in a cage from infancy to ‘stop him from getting into things.’ Confined to a small enclosed area for an average of 22 hours a day, five-year-old Tony was still in diapers, drinking from a bottle and unable to formulate words. A social services teacher discovered his plight and persuaded authorities to remove the child from that home and place him in a school for learning-disabled children. Tony showed remarkable progress and aptitude and under the tutelage of a kind and loving school teacher, Mimi Black, quickly began to speak and play in an age appropriate manner. She showered him with all he had been deprived of — nourishing love, guidance, knowledge and the attention he required. He thrived. Within a couple of months school officials observed that he did not belong in their facility. He would have to be sent to a foster home and attend regular public school. At that point Mimi and her husband Warren decided to adopt Tony. The Lani Moon CCF salutes their heroic rescue and selflessness. Therefore, the Fund has granted the Blacks a year-long monthly income supplement to help them with his care and education.

This Fund will follow Tony’s progress. Tune in here for regular updates.

March 15, 1999 —
From Mimi and Warren Black
To The Lani Moon CCF

      “We wanted to let you know how Tony was doing. Tony is in second grade. He is learning to read and do arithmetic. We are very excited about his progress. Actually I just came from a parent/teacher conference and Tony has shown a lot of growth. He is still slightly behind but every day he is catching up. He is extraordinarily intelligent. He has been taking swimming lessons. He is an excellent swimmer. He can do the back crawl, front crawl, and the breaststroke. He is even swimming in the deep end. He just loves the water. I just signed him up for a group music lesson on percussion. He loves to move so I thought rhythm would be a great place to start. He is just now starting to have school friends come over (this is a first for us). This is very exciting and Tony just loves it. It has been hard for him to make friends but he is learning how. I guess it all takes time.”
      “Warren and Tony are also just getting started on building a very large playhouse in the backyard. Tony loves to build things so this will be a great experience for him. We have all of the plans drawn out and have just purchased the wood. We are very excited about this very big long project. I think it will be done just in time for summer.”
      “The Lani Moon Compassionate Causes Fund sounds like a wonderful organization. Lani Moon must have been a truly wonderful person and I am glad that she can be remembered in such a positive way. Our family is honored that Lani’s family and friends have chosen us to receive this gift. It really means a lot to us. Tony will benefit a great deal from your contribution. We will keep in touch with you and let you know how Tony is doing. We are also sending a family picture your way.”

Photo of Mimi, Tony and Warren Black.

"To the Lani Moon CCF...We appreciate your continued support. It has meant quite a lot to our family. Here is a (recent) picture of our family." — Mimi Black (5/12/99)

Holiday Card from the Black Family
(featuring close-up of Anthony, 3rd grade, 1999)

"Thank you for all of your support. Anthony is turning nine in a few days. He is very excited about his birthday. We appreciate everything that the foundation has done for us. Take Care. Have a wonderful holiday."
— Love, Mimi, Warren and Anthony

HEALING MUSIC

Award #2
To: Kevin Ball and KLB Enterprises/WGBH-TV, Boston
For: Development of film documentary

The Lani Moon CCF has awarded developmental funding for the creation of a public television documentary on the “Healing Power of Music.” This is to be the first venture for The Lani Moon CCF in this category. Our purpose is to raise awareness of the healing properties of music. In addition, the Fund hopes to be able to explore the use of “healing music” in a variety of medical applications.

The Healing Power of Music
Producer/director/writer Kevin Ball has conceived of an idea whose time has come. The story he will tell will begin in Africa with tribal cultures and their use of music in healing rituals. He will trace the sounds to contemporary America and examine the growing use of music for wellness. The video will follow Music Therapists and examine the use of music therapy in modern contexts.

The program is scheduled to be completed for airing in spring of the year 2000 on WGBH-TV. It will be offered to PBS affiliates throughout the U.S., as well as for screening by educational and community organizations.

March 19, 1999 —
Proposal for funding support
      “The Healing Power of Music will be a 60-minute documentary consisting of interviews, graphics and live music mixed with previously recorded as well as originally scored music…Graphic-aided explanations illustrating the physiological affects of hearing music adds to the viewer’s understanding. Music Therapist Dr. Dale Taylor will speak about the ways in which music directly helps our brains communicate with our bodies, leading to the healing process…The Healing Power of Music has the potential for development into a series to highlight (a variety of) world cultures and traditions and examples of musical healing.”

Stay tuned to this site for progress reports from the producers.

PROFOUND UNDERSTANDING

Definitions [American Heritage Dictionary]:

pro-found (adj.)
1. Situated at, extending to, or coming from a great depth; deep.
2. Coming as if from the depths of one’s being.
3. Thoroughgoing; far-reaching.
4. Penetrating beyond what is superficial or obvious.
5. Unqualified; absolute.

un-der-stand-ing (n.)
1. The quality or condition of one who understands; comprehension.
2. The faculty by which one understands; intelligence.
3. Individual or specified judgment or outlook; opinion.
4. (a) A compact implicit between two or more people or groups.
(b) The matter implicit in such a compact.
5. A reconciliation of differences; a state of agreement.
6. A disposition to appreciate or share the feelings and thoughts of others; sympathy.

The Lani Moon Compassionate Causes Fund supports the pursuit of profound understanding for the sake of establishing a more peaceful and fulfilling world in the 2K millennium. The goal of the Fund is to foster improved human communications among individuals, institutions, businesses, communities, cultures, governments and religions. Awards are planned for research and education projects in a variety of fields, including: archeology, anthropology, genetics, psychology, microbiology, medicine, astronomy, physics, mathematics and technology. Special consideration will be given to new fields of study, research and communication.

BOARD & COMMITTEES

The Lani Moon Compassionate Causes Fund is a charitable entity operated independently under the auspices of the EverLife Foundation. Funds raised by The Lani Moon CCF are used exclusively for awards to qualified recipients who meet its goals and are approved by its Board of Directors. EverLife Foundation research, education and publishing projects are funded separately. The EverLife Foundation contributes its operational and administrative support to The Lani Moon CCF. The Fund’s Board of Directors is supported by Advisory and Review Committees in each of the wish categories.

The Lani Moon CCF reports to public contributors through this website and a semi-annual newsletter. The Fund endeavors that awards made in Lani’s name comply with contributor sentiments. Contributors are asked to specify how they prefer their contributions be used: choose one or more wishes, split equally among the three wishes, or default to the judgment of the Board.

Mail all inquiries to:

EverLife Foundation
The Lani Moon CCF
811 Adair Place
Del Rey Oaks, CA 93940
U.S.A.

or send us an e-mail: click here for the Lani Moon CCF at Everlife Foundation

EVERLIFE FOUNDATION

The Lani Moon Compassionate Causes Fund is an independent philanthropic charity that operates under the auspices of the EverLife Foundation. Contributions to The Lani Moon CCF are by family and friends and are used only for funding goals stated on this page. Research, education and publishing efforts of the EverLife Foundation are operated and funded separately by its own staff.

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