Samantha Scholl, 16, of Cranberry Township, who has received two heart transplants, wears the gold medal she received for winning the long jump at the U.S. Transplant Games last week.

ZELIENOPLE— The U.S. Transplant Games came to Pittsburgh this month, but some Butler County athletes have been part of the event for years.

Zelienople's Matthew Repasky, 36, has competed in the Games since 1986 and has gathered 38 medals, including five this year.

His brother, Nathan, 20, has been a Transplant Games competitor since 1998 and has six medals, including a bronze in the 800 meters this year. The brothers have undergone two kidney transplants each.

Samantha Scholl, 16, of Cranberry Township, already has competed in six Transplant Games and has accumulated 17 medals. She broke the Games record in the age 17-and-under long jump at this year's event, leaping 12 feet, 11C\v inches.

Scholl has had two heart transplants, the first occurring when she was just three days old.

While many of the athletes have met their donors and/or donor families — three of the four Repasky kidney transplants came from fellow family members — Scholl has not.

She received her second heart transplant at age 9.

"Both of my hearts came from Ohio,"Scholl said. "I've written the families letters, but never got any response.

"Sometimes it's just too hard on people to come forward."

Besides breaking the long jump record this year, Scholl also won gold in the 100 and 200 meters. She earned a pair of swimming silver medals in the 50-meter butterfly and 200-medley mixed relay.

Entering her junior year at Quigley Catholic, the 4-foot-11, 110-pound Scholl is a gymnast who has won or finished second in the state on parallel bars for three straight years.

"I grew up learning to take life one step at a time, live one day at a time and enjoy life to the fullest," she said. "The best thing about these Games is they showcase the need for organ donors.

"By going out and competing, I'm showing people that organ transplants can be successful."

Nathan Repasky received a kidney from his father, Hal, Dec. 28, 1996. When that kidney began failing, he received its replacement from his sister-in-law, Sue, on July 3, 2006.A Seneca Valley graduate, Nathan now carries a 3.75 grade point average at Butler County Community College."We're very proud of that,"his father said. "Because of his illness, Nathan was homebound for much of his high school years."Besides competing in track and field, Nathan played 3-on-3 basketball. He had won four gold medals in basketball from previous U.S. Transplant Games."I feel blessed, actually, he said. "What I've been through has given me more appreciation of life. I try to take nothing for granted."Repasky echoed Scholl's concern over the need for organ donors."These Games create awareness for that,"he said. "There are 100,000 people on the waiting list. From the opening ceremonies to the closing ceremonies of this year's Games, 19 people died awaiting transplants. The need is very, very real."Matthew Repasky's mother, Marnie, gave him a kidney in 1979. He received another kidney from an outside donor in 1996.He won five swimming medals in this year's Games, including gold in the 50- and 100-yard backstroke, and the 100-yard butterfly.Matthew competed at the International Transplant Games in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1987, winning gold in the long jump and silver in the softball throw in the under-18 category."I grew up not being able to participate in contact sports, so I swam, played tennis, things like that," he said. "Now the Transplant Games have 3-on-3 basketball, volleyball, swimming relays, track relays, and I love being part of the team element."Like his younger brother, Matthew is a Seneca Valley graduate. He competed on the swim team there."I was a third-tier swimmer at best, but I was out there," he said. "I felt like all the other kids. When you're young, you don't really think about your limitations."The Transplant Games gave me an outlet. They make me feel like everybody else. As for the donors ... I go in for blood work 11 times a year, see my transplant surgeon twice a year. That's a small price to pay. I'm here."That realization is why School remains hopeful of meeting her donor family someday."I just want to say thank you to them for giving me a second and third chance at life,"Scholl said. "I wouldn't be here without them. I wouldn't have turned 16, I wouldn't have any memories or life's experiences."I owe my existence to them and I refuse to let them down."

submitted photoNathan Repasky of Zelienople stands with his sister-in-law, Sue, after he won a bronze medal in the 800-meter run at the U.S. Transplant Games that were held in Pittsburgh last week. Sue Repasky was the donor for Nathan Repasky's second kidney transplant.