Raiden Richard Davis came into this world on his own terms, which became the theme for his short life. He was a scheduled C-section, but decided he did not want to wait. He came 6 days early, on Friday March 25th, 2022. He was my little “big” boy, born 9lbs, 11oz. He was the youngest of 3, and the only boy.

As Raiden grew up, I was always worried he was behind on his milestones, but that was just his way. If he wasn’t ready to start eating big people food, well, he just wasn’t going to. He never wanted to be apart from his mom and dad when he slept, and he started sleeping in his room only a couple of months before he left us.

He loved his cup of milk and was rarely seen without it. He was such a stinker and if it wasn’t tied down or locked up, he was going to get into it and throw it all over the floor! When we’d start up the shower, he would hear it and come running into the bathroom to throw open the shower curtain! He’d look at you and just giggle. I can picture him holding his cup of milk in his mouth, giving me a side eye and a huge grin. He absolutely adored his big sister, Tegan. They would laugh and play and get into all kinds of trouble together. His silliness and laughter were infectious and that’s what I miss the most about my beautiful blond, blue-eyed boy.

On Tuesday, November 28th, 2023, Raiden went to daycare as he normally did. He was given lunch that day, which he ended up asphyxiating on. He was rushed to Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, but he was without oxygen for too long. He experienced brain death and there was nothing they could do. We were never going to hold him again; never going to hear his laugh; never going to see him reach all of the milestones a little boy is supposed to reach. He wasn’t even fully talking yet, so we will never hear him actually speak. Our hearts were instantly broken. He was only 20 months old.

Raiden was able to save 3 with his organs and help at least one other, that we know of, with his tissue. This boy became our superhero the instant those elevator doors closed as he went down to surgery.

We miss you, Bubba!

Connor’s life was a testament to resilience, passion, and unwavering commitment to others. Born in New Jersey with an innate talent for sports, Connor excelled in basketball, baseball, and football- the latter being his true passion. Tragically, the untimely loss of his father left a void that led him down a path of ups and downs. Yet, in the heart of St. Paul, Connor found recovery and rediscovered his purpose: helping others navigate their own journeys to healing. His legacy lives on, not only through the lives he touched but also through the second chances granted via his organ donations, embodying his enduring spirit of giving. May we honor Connor’s memory by embracing resilience, compassion, and the profound impact of helping others.

I was born in the 1960’s with a congenital heart condition. I was what they called a blue baby. The doctor told my mother that I would not likely survive childhood. I had my first catheterization in 3rd grade, and they told me my heart was upside down and backwards with a hole in it. Later I learned that I had a single ventricle, transposition of the great vessels, and tricuspid valve atresia.

Despite this, I went on to live a fairly normal life, with physical limitations due to my condition. In my 20’s I had a Fontan Procedure, which re-routed the blood through my lungs before going into my body, which prevented the oxygenated blood from mixing with unoxygenated blood and increased my oxygen levels. I did much better but still had physical limitations.

I did well, being able to attend school and work full-time throughout my life. I was even able to give birth to a son. I did well until my late 50’s, early 60’s when things became more difficult. I was increasingly short of breath, and my energy had gradually been decreasing.

My Cardiologist at Mayo thought I should be evaluated for a heart transplant. I went through the assessment, and it was determined that my liver was also very damaged. I was approved for transplant of both organs and went on the transplant list in September of 2023. In November of that year, I ended up in the hospital with my heart not functioning well enough due to my End Stage Heart Disease. I had to wait in the hospital until the organs became available. I waited for 54 days, and our prayers were answered – in January of 2024 I received a heart and liver.

In September of 2024, I had a kidney transplant because my kidneys did not recover after my heart and liver transplant.

I cannot appropriately express how grateful I am to my donors and their families. If not for them, I would not be alive. At one of the most difficult times of their lives, they made the decision which allowed me to live. That is one of the most generous acts of kindness one can give. I am hoping to have the opportunity to meet them one day but understand how difficult it could be for them.

I recently had my one-year follow-up for my heart and liver transplant. My tests went very well, and I am feeling so much healthier and better! I have even been able to run for the first time in my life without getting sick! My donors have given me a second chance at life!

I am so grateful! Thank you to all of you who are involved in the organ donation process – the donors, their families, and the medical staff. Thank you!

This is Brandon Orr. He was the life of the party along with making everyone laugh even if you’re having a bad day. Brandon (or B), was always helping everyone he could. That’s why he decided to work at a shoe store helping as many as he could. (He also loved shoes) Brandon always made sure to spend time with his family even if they got him irritated. Brandon was someone his sisters (Lilly and Leila) could always go to. He loved his mom dearly. He even flew back early from a trip just to see her. Brandon was the oldest, but a manager at work became a brother to him (Jeff). Brandon was a very kind and accepting person. He would laugh at every joke even if he found it unfunny. As well as meeting people where they were and never making them feel less than. Brandon loved fashion and pushing the normalized standards of fashion. Brandon also loved video games and watching his sisters participate in their extra curricular activities. (Basketball & TKD) Brandon was very goofy and loved messing with his sisters. Michael Jackson was his all time favorite singer. When Brandon was younger he played soccer, basketball, baseball, and he even skateboarded. Lastly, Brandon really loved transformers, Batman, Spider-Man, watching movies/youtube, stuffed animals, flowers, and spending time with his loved ones. We all love Brandon very dearly and hold him close to our hearts.

We remember Blake William Madsen as a music-loving, goofy guy who we lost too soon.

“Turn the Page.”

In Tiara’s short 28 years of life she has touched so many people. She was a daughter, a friend, a wife and most importantly a mother! She had many battles she had many triumphs! She was a great woman and very loved!

The world lost a giving, compassionate woman on March 13, 2024. Laura was a mom, grandma, and nurse that dedicated her life to others. She taught us the importance of family. She loved her children and grandchildren fiercely and more than anything in the world. She taught us the importance of kindness to all. She was an anti-bullying advocate before it was a thing people talked about, and she always helped the less fortunate when she was able. She taught us the importance of hard work. She always gave 100% at anything she did, and during her younger years, she often worked multiple jobs to give us everything we wanted. Lastly she taught us toughness. She went through a lot in her life, and she always persisted through any challenge.

Noah was bright, hilarious, caring, giving, and is greatly missed by those of us lucky enough to be part of his world.

Dan was an amazing son, brother, uncle and friend. He loved to cook and try new foods, and create his own recipes. Before Dan died, the place he worked was gathering recipes for a cookbook and he submitted several. Dan passed away before the cookbook was printed and the company dedicated it to his memory. They said he was the “glue” that kept the plant operations running well.

Dan lives on in others in the form of organ, eye (cornea), and tissue donation, and that brings us great comfort. His kind, giving, caring, compassionate ways continue even in death, and we could not be more proud of him.

.

On Oct 24 2004 we lost our first son at the age of 3 months. His name is Dana John Thompson II. In the 3 months we were given with him he made us all smile. He was a bright light and his sister adored him, we all did. He’s now my hero. We still haven’t got all the answers as to why he died and probably never will but he gave life to a few babies who were in desperate need or they would face the same outcome we had to. We miss him every day and forever will.

Brady left us very unexpectedly at the age of 37. He left such a huge hole in our lives. His energy was infectious, his passion was contagious. His biggest passions in life were his Harley, his family, his friends and the Denver Broncos. When he committed to something he jumped in with both feet. He had a sense of humor that at times took getting used to and was the master of practical jokes. He did not have any children of his own but children gravitated toward him. We called him the child whisperer because whenever there was a family function you could find Brady entertaining them. He had an infectious love for life and was a kid at heart.

It did not surprise any of his family that he signed up to be an organ donor. That is what Brady was all about. He would go out of his way to help people. The pride that we all felt that he chose to help so many others with organ, tissue and eye donation was overwhelming. We find peace in knowing that a part of him lives on and has helped so many people to do the same.

Jon had many health problems throughout his life starting when he was a baby. He had many surgeries including a kidney transplant, had many times in the hospital and did dialysis for a year and a half in his 30’s. But despite it all, he had a wonderful life.

Jon was a true Minnesota, Twin Cities guy. He was born and raised in Mpls. He lived his adult years in the northern suburbs. He was a huge Minnesota sports fan, cheered his beloved Twins on to 2 World Series titles, fiercely supported his Minnesota Vikings, ever hoping for that elusive Superbowl win and was saddened when his North Stars moved to Dallas.

Jon and I became friends as teenagers, were a couple for over 38 years and married for over 31 years. Jon was a very caring and protective husband to me, ever watchful for any harm that could come my way. Jon and I did everything together as a team. Everyday things like shopping, cooking, chores and exciting things like trips to see the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, Graceland, the Statue of Liberty, the Las Vegas strip, Niagara Falls and the Football Hall of Fame. Name any rock group from the 80’s and 90’s and we had probably seen them in concert at least once. Jon and I did the annual Humane Society Walk for Animals for over 30 years, raising thousands of dollars to help the animals. We also volunteered for the National Kidney Foundation.

Jon doted on his nieces and nephews. They have wonderful memories of him taking them to baseball games, Valleyfair, picnics and to see Santa Claus. He even played Santa Claus years ago for the older nieces and nephew.

Jon loved animals. Over the years, we had 3 cats, they were his “little buddies” each in their own way.

Jon worked most of his years in the document management field, first microfilming documents and then as technology advanced scanning documents. He worked a short time in the early 90’s at Zubaz (yes, the striped pants company) and what he loved about that time was he got to get discounted Zubaz’s for the family and meet some famous athletes.

Jon loved to bake sweets for family and friends. Jon took culinary arts classes and won many ribbons for his cakes, cookies and bars at the County fair and State fair.

Jon loved to do trivia and play games, especially the card game 500. Some of Jon’s superpowers included being the human calculator (able to add numbers quickly in his head) and being able to identify the make/model/year of any 1970’s muscle car simply by looking at the head and taillights.

Friends and family remember Jon’s quick wit.

Jon was ever grateful for the kidney transplant he received in May 1999 from a deceased donor. Jon always wanted to repay this gift in some way. Sadly, Jon passed away suddenly in the spring of 2022. Jon was a donor on his driver’s license and things came full circle and Jon became the donor instead of the recipient. We are told that by donating his corneas he was able to give the gift of sight to 2 people. Our hope is with Jon’s gift that they are now able to see a beautiful sunset and see the faces of those they love.

Jaydan was a vibrant, beautiful young lady whose smile lit up a room. She was loved by many and touched the lives of so many others. She was very active in extra-curricular activities while in school. She did cross country, basketball, track, and was a baseball manager for her dad (Jayson). At an earlier age she played volleyball, softball, and participated in musicals. She played basketball for her dad starting in 3rd grade. She also enjoyed spending time with dad in the dugout as a manager at baseball games. She had a great sense of humor and a most distinguishable laugh 🙂 Jaydan and mom (Michelle) would have deep conversations and enjoyed jamming to music. Her two sisters (Kirsten and Kaylee) and brother (Alec) loved her even though she could get under their skins at times – ha ha. Jaydan became a proud Aunt with the birth of Asher – she loved him! She worked as a paraprofessional at Ogilvie Elementary School for two years and loved working with the kids, in particular River! We miss our Jaydan so bad, our hearts ache. We love her and are very proud of her for helping save the lives of many as a donor. She was able to donate her heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and pancreas. She also donated her corneas and skin. She loved to help people and she was able to help and save many through these donations. Her final act of giving provided incredible gifts for many! We may not understand why she had to leave this world – but it doesn’t change the fact that we will always remember and love her.

To our amazing son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend. You are truly a blessing and we’re glad we were able to experience life with you. You were always full of life and had love for others. You had moves and a voice to get the party started. You had a smile that was so Contagious. Feom the endless kisses to the most safe hugs you would give We love you and miss you so much.

At birth, Lincoln was diagnosed with a rare form of Biliary Atresia. At just 7 months old, Lincoln went into sudden liver failure and was placed as status 1A on the UNOS transplant list, receiving his gift of life 48 hours later. On November 5th, 2021 Lincoln received his second chance at life and we are so incredibly thankful that every day we get to watch him grow up. Each and every day, we honor the girl who chose to save Lincolns life on the day she lost hers.

Proud to be your sister, brother, Mom, Dad, friend, daughter. We love you so very very much. You touched so many lives in ways you could never imagine. Now you will continue to touch lives and to save lives. Your legacy will live on forever in our hearts. Rest in peace, Matthew❤️

Serena was a very loving and caring person. She was the most non judge mental person I’ve ever known. She was kind to everyone she came in contact with, and cared about others feelings. Serena loved art! She was extremely creative, she loved pottery, she loved to paint, draw, any creative outlet really! She was wonderful with children, as she always had a childlike wonder about her even as an adult. She was also gifted in music, her singing voice was like an angel, she taught herself to play the ukulele and guitar. Serena loved her family with her whole heart, she would’ve done anything for each one of us. She decided to be a donor on her own, I’m so proud of her for this. It just shows how caring her heart was. She left behind her little beagle named “Deer”. She loved that pup so much! She always said that her dog was her very best friend, and that Deer listened to her, understood her, accepted her and loved her unconditionally. She was such funny and a goofy girl! Always had a witty thing to say and made us laugh all the time! Her heart was tender, she had compassion for all the animals, primarily rescue animals everywhere. Serena loved God and asked Him into her heart as a young child, even as a young adult she new the power of prayer and asked me (mom) to pray for her during times she was in pain or struggling. She loved the ocean and mermaids, she said sitting by the ocean and listening to the waves calmed her spirit and was her favorite.

Nick was a Nebraska-man, through and through. He loved hunting, knife making, beer brewing, and time spent with his incredible family. In 2014 he moved to Minnesota and obtained his degree in engineering, following in his dad’s footsteps. He was an amazing and proud son, a brother to two incredible sisters, and a doting dad to three sons, Chase, Lane, and Brittan. He passed suddenly of a heart attack at age 39. He lives on through his children, as well as the people he helped through tissue and eye donation. Because of his selfless decision, an ER nurse has restored hope in healing others, and another regained mobility in his arm so he can continue to care for his family. We are grateful for these HUGE reminders that he is still with us and hope others will say “yes” to donation and transplantation. It has brought his family tremendous gratitude knowing his life brought so much joy and healing to others, even as his final act on Earth.

We were privileged and entrusted to raise Tim as our son. He was a gift from the Lord. We are grateful for his love, sensitivity, persistence, and adventuresome spirit. Tim was a hard charging, charismatic leader. He produced quality workmanship. He worked tirelessly on projects. He demonstrated compassion for those less fortunate then himself. As an adult, he reached out to others in the Colombian adoption community to share his story and listen to theirs with empathy and understanding. Our lives were changed by his life . . . and now his untimely death in a motorcycle accident.

On Oct 29, 2022 Justin was found unresponsive in his car in the parking lot of his new apartment. He was transported to United Hospital in St. Paul MN where he was put on a ventilator. We knew he was gone. All the signs were there, pupils fixed and dilated, no response to anything.

On Oct 31, 2022 he was pronounced brain dead after he failed to breath during the 9 minute test.. We knew he had marked “donor” on his ID.

On Nov 2, 2022 we said our final goodbyes as they took him into surgery to begin the retrieval process. I have a friend who has been waiting for a liver for a couple years. She was the perfect match. Justin was able to donate his heart, a lung, both kidneys, pancreas, and liver. 1 lung went to research.

Justin was 31 years old, he had a nice car, a new job, and was moving into a new apartment. Justin had struggled for many years with depression and anxiety. He started using drugs in high school, which did not help his mental health. He had been in several treatment facilities and had been clean for 16 months. He was doing so well. He had reconnected with family, and had really turned his life around. Things were going so good. I will say “things were going so good” a million times because by all appearances they were. He had spent a lot of time helping us at our cabin, I was helping him plan his best friends Bachelor Party. How can things be “wrong” when your planning a party?? We had NO idea that he had started using again.

After he was gone and we started to piece together his last month we did see some signs. He was such a gentle soul, he just wanted people to be proud of him. And we were, the problem was that he didn’t see it, he never felt “good enough”. But he was, he was amazing, he was so kind and wouldn’t hurt a fly. His heart was so giving, he would have made a fabulous husband and father if he could have stayed clean and lived.

Justin was not just my nephew, he was my number 1 baby. He lived with us for the first 4 years of his life. For me, moving to my first home was so hard because I didn’t want to leave him. He was my favorite little man. We were always close, I never gave up on him. He was so perfect in my eyes.

I hope that whom ever has received his gifts is doing well. I hope they understand how lucky they were to receive a piece of Justin. Of the kind hearted, handsome young man who left his family way to soon. We want to meet his recipients, so if anyone received a gift on Nov 2, 2022 please reach out to us. Justin will forever be missed, no parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, nobody should have to say a forever goodbye to their child. We know Justin is at peace now, the demons can’t get him anymore.

Forever loved and never to be forgotten…

We carry all sorts of memories and love for Steve. He may have not had many friends but those that stood by him loved fishing and working on vehicles with him and will keep those memories close and continue to fish and work on vehicles in his memory it will never die

Trace was a very kind giving loving funny kid,and a great brother, he was always on the go and had a heart of gold. Trace taught me so much in his 11 years here he made me a mom for the first time and his personality was always so positive and funny. Trace made me so proud from his fight to get better after he sustained a TBI to him never complaining about anything he was such a humble person. We will always carry on his memory in everything we do! If i could tell traces recipients anything i would give them a hug and tell them how proud my boy would be to have helped them.

Ridge Joseph Scolley was a few days shy of his 10th birthday when he fell and hit his head while playing basketball with cousins at a family gathering. As a donor hero, he has saved 4 lives and continues to help others through tissue donation. He is survived by his parents, Mike and Shannon and his 2 older siblings, Clara and Troy. We will forever miss him and are so proud of his generosity. #forever9

In honor of Kurt lubahn. Loving husband and father.

I’m most grateful for having my Mother in my life for 38 interesting years.

She’s our baby, never met anyone she didn’t like. Always happy, loves reading, swimming, riding and driving 4 wheelers. Loves all animals especially her dogs and farm animals (to many to name). She wants to get a horse this summer. If she’s not hanging out with her brothers she can always be found hanging out with her daddy in the tractor doing stuff around the farm or planting flowers and vegetables with me. She loves to be outside, doesn’t like sitting infront of a tv. She asked me what the donor ment on my driver’s license a year ago and I told her and she said “mommy I want to do that when I am older”. She would be so happy knowing she is helping others out.

I believe my Kidney’s are Lucky (Irish Luck) as I was a perfect match for my then 9 year daughter Carly who needed a Kidney Transplant in 2004. Carly has ARPKD which is a very rare disease which also affects the Liver which she also received a transplant for in 2019.

Organ donation is so important for our family and we are thankful for the donor and donor families that have given Carly life. God bless!!

Seth, 28 was a talented intellectual man who enjoyed deep conversations with anyone of any age or status. He was intelligent, compassionate and very witty in humor. He was full of energy and enjoyed being outdoors, skateboarding with his dog and spending time with friends and family. Seth’s number 1 passion was writing and music. He was a great storyteller, funny, loud and loved hard. Seth was known for helping others with a hug, a smile, a listening ear, the clothes off his back or good humor. Seth was always willing to help others especially strangers, so the choice to donate was an easy one. He was also a registered donor.

Seth expressed his emotions in a brutally honest way through his writing and music, which he wrote and produced himself. Seth’s purpose in life was bigger than him. He will be missed more than words can express, but his legacy will continue to help and heal others. He is loved and missed by so many!

LifeSource is an amazing organization, and the staff is so wonderful to work with.

We look forward to hearing about his recipients and pray they have a full recovery and live a long-blessed life!

If you were fortunate enough to have had Gannon in your life, you were a better person for that. He was just one of those people who could fit in anywhere…he was a bit of an old soul you could say. Gannon loved little kids, the elderly, and animals!!! ALL of the animals!!! 🙂 He loved volunteering at the Humane Society and even convinced Mom to let him adopt one of his favorite cats from there, a Maine Coon mix named Leo.

Some other things Gannon loved and lived for was his family…Mom, Dad & bonus Mom, big brother, and little sister. He loved time spent with family and friends, especially at his two favorite lake homes…he was the official campfire starter and king of smores!! Gannon also loved to fish, swim, ride 4-wheeler, snowmobile and jet ski, and his absolute favorite thing of all was riding his bike, which is how we lost him. He was riding to a friend’s house and was hit by a pick-up while in a crosswalk. Gannon was living his best life that day…but really, Gannon lived his best life every day. If there is one thing that Gannon taught us, and that we learned from this tragedy…is to enjoy every single day, every single moment…because we never know what day could be our last.

The world lost an amazing human that day…but he lives on in others in the form of organ, eye (cornea), and tissue donation, and that brings us great comfort. His kind, giving, caring, compassionate ways continued even in death, and we could not be more proud of him.

Jeffrey Christopher Corley, 62, was born in Babbitt, MN on September 22nd, 1959 to Gladys “Garberich” and Christopher Corley. He passed unexpectedly on February 14th, 2022.

Jeff took pride in his work. Whether he was working at Watco Publishers, Lakeside Press, or Walmart, he thrived on exceeding expectations. His coworkers knew they could depend on him whether it was work-related or personal.

He loved going to concerts, musicals, sporting events, and live performances. Among his sports memorabilia, he saved all his ticket stubs as a reminder of his adventures. If he couldn’t be there in person, you could find him at Ruff’s watching NASCAR or other sports. Even in his final moments, he listened to the Superbowl. He had a vast collection of multimedia. In addition to his hobbies, he served as a Chaplain for the Elks.

Jeff highly valued his relationships, be that family or friends. He treated everyone like family and always put others first.

He is survived by his sister LaVonne, several nieces and nephews, and extended family.

As a religious man, Jeff knew he would not only be joining his mother and father, but would be met by his best friend, Ron Weishalla, brother-in-law, Glen Johnson, and sister, Bobbie Paulzine at the gates of heaven, all of whom he missed.

On May 31, 2014 my world forever changed when my mom was declared brain dead after a ruptured brain aneurysm. She was only 52 years old.

She was always so much more to me than just my mom…she was my best friend, my biggest supporter, my role model, my sounding board. No subject was off limits and there was nothing we didn’t talk about. Losing such an influential person in my life has been challenging. Getting through each day without her is a struggle that I battle every evening, when I miss her most and long to call her to talk about my day. She was my outlet and not being able to call her to talk about nothing for hours, not being able to ask her questions from her past or about anything at all; hurts more than I can ever describe. Her absence in my life is the hardest part. My mom was far from perfect, she was flawed like everyone is. She was a procrastinator and she could be unbelievably stubborn. She was scared of heights, open water and flying. She often let her fear of the ‘what if’s’ keep her from traveling and taking risks, but she was brave and stronger than she realized. She was the most giving and genuine person I’ll ever know. I am a better person for having her in my life. It was a privilege to be her daughter.

In 2022, I am joining Team MN-DAK and heading to the Transplant Games in her honor. Being amongst transplant recipients, living their best (second chance at) life will bring so much fulfillment seeing them in their element, honoring their gifts…knowing the cost.

Tom was 24 and working in NYC as an investment banker. He was smart, had an unparalleled work ethic, had a great sense of humor and a big heart. He believed in giving back and helping those in need including volunteering for non profits as well as mentoring students who were trying to break into the banking industry. He was a great friend, colleague, son, and brother. He did everything at 150% and packed more life into his 24 years than most do in a life time. Tom was very upfront with his family and friends that if something were to happen to him, that he wanted to be a donor. We are grateful for those conversations, so that we were able to honor his last selfless act of giving back.

We didn’t get our miracle of Tom surviving, but we were able to give many families their miracle of the gift of life. We find comfort in knowing that Tom was able to impact so many lives. His legacy will live on and he will always be a hero to so many people.

“There are some who bring a light so great to the world that even after they are gone, the light remains.”

Paul was a loving husband, son, brother and uncle. He truly enjoyed life and all the people in his life. He is greatly missed everyday.

Paul always made time for all the people in his life. He was an amazing Uncle. He loved his nieces and nephews with all his heart. He enjoyed the outdoors fishing, hiking, boating and snowboarding.

He was a very creative person. He enjoyed working and he was a very hard worker. He grew a business from the ground up and is greatly missed at his shop.

I used to be a pretty boring person living in the deep south. I didn’t smoke, didn’t drink, played board games, and took care of my family. I was a scientist, a wife, a mother, a foster mother, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. I was everyone’s big sister- baked them cakes on their birthdays and made bread and soup when they were sick. I sang in the choir, created programs to teach kids at the local public garden. In short, I was a very typical person who had a somewhat interesting job in science.

In 2018 all that changed. I received a diagnosis of a rare disease that was eating my liver from the inside and likely had been for most of my life. Over the next few years, my life and identity started to disappear. I had to quit my volunteer work because my meds required I restricted my time in the sun. I had to quit choir because I couldn’t keep the commitment with my fatigue and soon lost the ability to sing at all because of the size of the ascites. I couldn’t cook because my muscles would get so fatigued from work that I couldn’t walk or hold a fork. I turned yellow. Eventually, I had to leave the South for the Midwest because my healthcare needed better experts.

Even with that, it was somehow a shock when I was told I was being placed on the organ transplant list. It takes a while for the reality that you are dying to really hit. My Meld score deteriorated from a 19 in the spring to the 30’s just 8 months later. I received paracentesis. First, it was just a few liters every month. Soon it was a gallon or two every week. By winter I was contemplating leaving my job because I couldn’t make it through a full day without losing control of my muscles. I hammered out a deal with my boss to take a few weeks and see what working remote part-time would look like. That day, on my way home, I got the call “We have a likely liver for you. When can you be at the hospital?”

It was electric, I was crying, I was laughing. I had a chance. I could see my daughters grow, I had more time with my husband. I could finalize my daughter’s adoption, I could see my family again. I could live.

The surgery went well, I was told the new liver just fell right in like it was built for that space. I did have some complications, and the trauma from the surgery nearly killed me. That’s when I decided to turn this around and take my second chance seriously. I started advocating while in the hospital for Rare Disease Day for NORD. I learned the name of every person who came into my room. I listened to their stories. The one name and story I never got to hear was the most important one: that of my donor.

While I pretty much know now what it will be like when I die, I am now rediscovering how to live. I don’t know my normal anymore because I haven’t had a liver this healthy for probably 10 years. I am so grateful for this gift. Thank you so much. My eldest’s anxiety has fallen to normal kid levels since I got home and started getting better. My youngest kisses my scar every day and pronounces that I am all better now. None of this would be possible without you and your loved one. I can’t believe my life has to benefit from your loss, but I hope it brings comfort to you to know that in a way, they are living on in all of the donors like me.

Gail was from a large Catholic family, the second of ten kids. She was a CPA accountant who enjoyed taking on challenging contract jobs. She loved playing the piano for community theater musicals, both the rehearsals and in the pit. She loved travelling with her husband of 33 years. Gail was very proud of her two children and was looking forward to the time there would be grandkids. Friends, family and church were very important to her. She was always a giver and looking for opportunities to give back in appreciation for all the life, love and experiences she had received. Gail is dearly missed as she left this world way to soon.

In honor of my mother Linda Marie Guillod, She gained her angel wings on February 24, 2021 in Minneapolis, MN. My mother gained her wings at the age of 59. She helped so many people in the time she was here on earth. She loved her family so much- especially her grandchildren. My mother was a director of nursing during COVID. She contracted COVID and was given the news on November 12, 2020. She fought a tough battle and recovered from COVID but the damage was too bad to her lungs. She was then sent down to Minneapolis to the University of Minnesota Fairview Medical Center. She was awaiting a lung transplant, she actually qualified to be a donor recipient. She awaited her transplant when things – her words exactly to me ” all things went to hell this morning”. She was then put on ECMO and intubated trying to keep her alive while waiting for her miracle organs. We called them miracle organs as she has a lot of antibodies which made it more difficult for a match. She then had complication after complication, which then made it even harder to find a lung match. She was on life support for 27 days when we were told that she will not recover, even if she got a match she most likely would not make it through surgery. So the hard choice to terminate life support was made by the staff to let her go. This was the hardest thing ever for us to do. Since it was COVID we were not able to see her until 3 days later – and that was just to say good bye to her. 🙁 This was the hardest thing to ever go through, saying goodbye to your mother at the age of 59.:( We were told on the day that we got to go say good bye that she was a organ donor. So something good came out of all of this, many people got to live because she made the selfless decision to be a donor. We had to follow her advance directive, as her being a nurse, she knew she did not want to live like this. She gave her life for her career.

A month ago, my beautiful 32 year old sister, Becky, was directly saving the lives of four others by gifting her lungs to a 62 year old man, she gifted her left kidney to a 73 year old, her right kidney to a 64 year old and her liver to a 65 year old man. She made the selfless decision to be an organ donor many years ago and was able to fulfill that promise through her own passing. The decision she made at 16 years old when she checked that box on her driver’s license, really tells us all who she was in her heart. She was a life-saver: in life and in death.

Becky gravitated towards people who needed saving. People that needed extra love, support, or direction. Becky loved the underdog. She loved so hard and passionately that it was difficult for her to let people walk out of her life at times. As her sister and family, we are now the ones that find it difficult to accept that she had to walk out of our lives into Heaven. We are mourning our great loss but we know that Becky is watching over us all especially her son, Jameson.

Becky had many achievements in her short 32 years of life. One of her proudest was being Jameson’s mom. She loved him more than anything else in this world and he is what gave her life purpose. Knowing my sister, I also believe she would say that her other greatest achievement was giving the gift of life and hope to these other four individuals. She would be so proud to have given husbands more time with their spouses, dads more times with their children, sons more time with their parents, and brothers more time with their siblings. Selfishly for us, we wish we had more time with our beautiful wife, mother, daughter, and sister. We will never stop missing her show-stopping smile, big brown eyes, and infectious laugh. But we continually find peace knowing that Becky lives on through her recipients, in our memories, and in her son.

In 2000, when our sweet Brett was 2 years old, his family was driving to a softball tournament in Wisconsin. In the car were his father, mother, twin brother Michael and older brother Marcus, who was 5 at the time. That afternoon a drunk driver was heading north in the south bound lanes and hit them head on, killing his mom instantly and severely injuring Brett, Marcus, and his dad, Todd. Brett suffered a head injury that left him one sided paralysis and inability to speak words. Marcus had a spinal cord injury, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. Todd had numerous bone fractures. Michael was uninjured. Brett amazed everyone with his recovery. He was pure joy with a giggle that made everyone smile. He was incredibly bright, loved puzzles and video games and his shape sorter, which he could do blindfolded. Todd married Weezie 7 years later, making it a family of 8! Bailley, Piper, and Sawyer loved being big sisters to Brett and affectionately called him Bretty Boo, Boo Man, and Bombasquaids. In 2019, Todd and Weezie took a trip to Prague and Poland to see Michael, who was stationed there in the Army. Brett was with Todd’s parents in Wisconsin visiting relatives when Brett missed a step in a back yard and fell, suffering a massive head injury that he wouldn’t recover from. He was in the hospital in Milwaukee for a week and then finally transferred back to our beloved Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul, where we made the heartbreaking decision to removed Brett from life support on May 4th, 2019. Lifesource met with us soon after arriving when we spoke with staff about the possibility of organ donation, and we immediately felt comfort knowing Brett would live on through others. Not once did we feel pressured or rushed, and every question was answered. They took the time to speak with Michael, who is on the Autism Spectrum, and Marcus, who also suffered a brain injury, separately, explaining how everything worked with such care, allowing them to ask additional questions in a private environment. This was so special to us and showed such a high level of empathy. We can’t say enough about the amazing staff at Gillette and everyone with LifeSource. We have heard from 2 of Brett’s recipients and treasure their letters and their lives. Thank you to all who selflessly register to be donors. #shareyourheart

Fernando was a amazing man husband father he was born with asthma and struggled with it his entire life was hospitalized multiple times. Fernando was 23 years old with two young daughters nayeli and Viviana. Fernando was a very happy laid back guy never really got mad always kinda just sat back and took whatever got handed to him. He was a very hard working man. The most amazing father anyone could ask for! We miss him very much and still struggling with loosing him but also learning how beautiful and sacred life is.

Stephanie was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 19. After her first seizure, she tried about every combination of anticonvulsant but the side effects were evident. Steph would say she felt tired, had no energy and even “stoned”. Yet she persevered; had a job, a boyfriend and enjoyed her time watching Netflix, painting and chatting with her friends. On December 10, 2020, her mom found her on the bathroom floor, noted no pulse or breathing and began CPR until EMTs arrived. Due to the lack of oxygen, she was declared brain dead at the hospital. Doctors believed she had a seizure which was too much for her. She was 22. Stephanie was proud she was a donor on her ID (she never drove due to her epilepsy). It was something she and her mother talked about at length. Our family decided to honor her last wish of donation. While it was painful to see our girl on life support for two days and then taking a final walk to the operation room, we know that her loving, giving nature will be her legacy. She was a beautiful young woman who would do anything for anyone. She was spunky, loved to laugh, loved to tease her brother ruthlessly and always ready to have a cheeseburger. To those she gave to, we know it’s hard to put into words the many emotions of being given such a gift. We understand that it’s a difficult journey that you are on. While you hold a bit of Stephanie in you and this has been a comfort to our grief, we acknowledge the struggles being experienced. We think of Steph and of her recipients every day. Always.

There were many wonderful aspects to John’s life; and many ways that he touched our lives. He will be remembered as a devoted husband, a loving father, a proud “Bapa” to his grandkids, a wonderful brother, a great friend, an outdoorsman, colleague, leader and a man of faith. In all these ways and more, he made our lives richer and fuller.

John died unexpectedly in a automobile accident. We didn’t get to say goodbye to him and his absence is felt daily. Now that he has passed away, of course there is emptiness and pain; confusion and maybe even anger at death coming to a man of only 56 years old. But in many ways the gift of John’s life is still here with us. He lives on in our memories and stories, and in what all of us have become because of him.

John’s last selfless act was being a tissue and eye donor which ultimately will save and enhance the lives of others. So I encourage you to share – today, tomorrow and in the years to come – your memories and stories, and to share the pain of your loss as well. In this way we will keep the gift of John’s life alive.

Landon died in a tragic farm incident on a neighbor’s farm. That day forever changed me and our family unit. Landon and his brother James were to be seniors. Landon was a smart young man with a bright future. He loved to hunt, fish, snowmobile, farm and spend time with family, friends and his girlfriend Madelyn. He will be forever missed by all who ever was blessed to have know him. I love and miss you terribly and forever el wait til we are once reunited in heaven. Love and miss you forever, mom

My beautiful first born daughter died too soon. She was a kind, sensitive, loving mother of three children.

Her health issues became too much for her body and she died of COPD at age 64. She donated her eyes. We have hope someone will be able to see this beautiful world.

Todd was an avid lover of agriculture, animals, and nature. His greatest joy was farming with his dad. He also loved sports especially skiing, football, and baseball.

He was always a joyful, caring person who reached out to others. Todd was always making a joke and always ready with laughter and a smile. Todd was taken from us too soon but even in his death he was able to have a great impact on others.

He was a great friend and blessed son and brother. He bore his cross and journey lovingly during his life.

Born via emergency c-section Nov., 16th, 2019 at 35 weeks our Grace was not doing well, difficulty breathing, tube fed, and low platelet levels she had to be transferred to St. Coud hospital where we found out she had entrovirus- meningitis. It started to attack her heart and she started to code. She was then flown to U of M Masonic children’s hospital where she was put on ECMO for a week. She started to look a little better and handled extabation well, and then she declinded again. 5 attempts of intubation, multiple blood transfusions, high drugs/medications to keep her calm it was clear she needed a heart transplant. So we agreed to have her on the Berlin/LVAD, and that only lasted one week before clotting, so a 2nd one was placed and the next day we got the calk a heart was available. She was transplanted Jan. 24th, 2020 and THRIVED! Slowly weaned off alot of major drugs/medications and a gtube was placed and she was discharged March, 2020! Only small complications since then, but as of now (Oct. 2020) she is doing absolutely amazing!

-Amazing Grace

Henry “Sunshine” Wills

Henry was the sunshine of our life and our little buddy. He truly loved his family, his service dog Bailey, his teachers, friends, and his assistants. He was a very special boy with an infectious laugh. He loved to sing and always gravitated to songs with the word “Sunshine” in them, from “You are My Sunshine” to “Walking on Sunshine,” to his very favorite, “Sunshine on my Shoulders.” He was quite the artist, too. Rainbows were his specialty.

You see Henry had more medial issues then anyone deserves to have. Starting with his Autism, Ocular Albinism, his Seizures, to his re-construction of his ankles to him being diagnosed with Scoliosis.

Because of his medical issues, life was an adventure for Henry. He loved to label people and objects in unique ways–by color, though not by color of hair, skin, or eyes but by what they wore. There was Black Niki, Blue Jeff, and of course Green Dad and Blue Momma. He also gave unique names to his special objects and then would repeat them, so everyone knew what to look for when he misplaced something. He loved to do inventory of his special objects and wrote his name precisely them, so everyone knew that it belonged to him.

School was truly Henry’s happy place. He loved all his teachers, helpers, and especially his special friends. Starting at a young age, Henry seemed to be quite the lady’s man. He never discriminated, for he loved them all and often gave out kisses on the cheek. He was always more than willing to do anything they asked of him, which was more than he would do for his parents sometimes!

Henry had a great love of food and always shared with his dog Bailey. He especially liked foods that he could dip into sauces, most of the time the hotter the better. He was always up for a midnight snack or lunch out.

Henry was an energetic kid who was often a blur of non-stop action. He always wanted to be doing something and wasn’t much for downtime or sleeping. Whether it was watching videos on Momma’s phone, swinging on the back deck, riding his bike, or swimming with his teacher or his beloved helper Anna or his Dad. He also loved to shop at Menards for his “Man Snacks”. Maybe God told him that his life would be short, and he wanted to get in as much in as possible.

Henry was known for wearing hats, not just to deflect the light from his sensitive eyes, but because he was a dapper dude. He liked surprising people with his choice of head gear—a vast array of tweedy newsboy hats, fedoras, and baseball caps that ranged from the Minnesota Golden Gophers to Stitch to Spiderman. That Spidey cap became a moving memorial at Henry’s funeral as it sat alone on the bench near the baptismal font that was Henry’s special spot at Sunday Mass.

We are still stunned that someone with so large a presence as Henry’s could be taken from us so fast. Henry will forever abide in the hearts of all of those who love and miss him. We hope that the joy and energy that Henry brought to life will live on through the people who have been gifted with his five organ donations. May Henry’s LifeSource become their bright and healthy future.

I want to thank my donor for saving my life. I have three children and I keep thinking that you saved their childhoods, too. And my wife is so grateful. I was diagnosed with a genetic disorder that kind of crystalizes your body (primary hyperoxaluria). Once it got to my kidneys it destroyed them quickly and I had to begin dialysis. This disorder is one where liver transplant is an actual cure, as it means the crystals stop being produced. The thought of how one human can give all of this to another is overwhelming, and I will never stop thinking of the responsibility I now have to my donor’s memory and humanity. It’s the most beautiful thing I can imagine, and we are thinking about the family endlessly.

Mary Ann was an amazing mother, grandmother, wife, and friend. Her pride and joy were her family, especially her five grandsons. She could regularly be found attending their school and sporting activities. She was known as the “cookie grandma” as she would bring treats for the entire hockey, alpine ski, lacrosse, basketball, and baseball teams her grandsons participated on. She knew every player on each team and wasn’t afraid to cheer at the top of her lungs for all the boys. She had a beautiful outgoing personality, abundance of energy, and was passionate in her religious faith.

Mary Ann was well known for her service to others. She was active in Mission work, volunteering in her community and church. Her ability to be an organ and tissue donor through LifeSource, allows her legacy to live on after her sudden death,

My husband had a gift, a servants heart till the very end. He had a love so deep for his faith,family friends.. We lost a piece of him when he passed, but he lives on as a hero to many.

Ben was diagnosed with a brain tumor in Oct of 2019. After collapsing on a hunting trip in South Dakota. My life our life stopped everything changed how much time was I going to have left with my husband? we have a young family! He is only 37!! So many questions no real answers. We received the best care from the beginning. We were told of the seriousness of the tumor the location the intense surgery he would have. but we weren’t worried we had the best surgeon at one of the best hospitals we had hope..

My life changed on December 11 2019 Ben had surgery, he suffered some complications a stroke a massive stroke.. the precious moments I had with him I learned to love in such a way that we are given such a gift. Cherish it love it spread that love and kindness everywhere! My husband saved many lives in his line of work but he didn’t let the evil suppress him he looked to God he asked him to bless his heart. My husband was at peace when he passed I was at peace. Because my love for my God and my husband will carry on. One small thing to take from my husband is love with your heart share your gift of love so others can live!

When the decision came about organ and tissue donation I didn’t hesitate Ben would want this he would want to give his life his love anything he had so others could live. He did that I will always be grateful and blessed that I had a chance to be married to such a man that changed my life and so many others for the better. We may have lost a hero a father,son,husband. But we gained a guardian angel a better look on life and we shared his gift. Now that is a blessing. I will love you to my last breath my love. You are a hero to many and your memory will live on.

When my husband was diagnosed with acute renal failure it was a surprise to both of us. He had been feeling a little under the weather and went to the doctor for a sinus infection. Within 24 hours he was diagnosed with end stage renal disease (and a sinus infection) and told he would need a kidney transplant. Our lives were turned upside down as we tried to navigate a medical world unfamiliar to both fo us. Fortunately we had Mayo Clinic’s expert doctors and staff to provide us guidance through the process, which became even more important when we found out that I was a match for Travis. We are now 10 years post-transplant and are both doing well. With my husband’s life at stake, I didn’t hesitate to become a living donor, but it really has opened up a new world to me. While I am grateful I was able to give the Gift of Life, I am even more appreciative of those who are altruistic kidney donors. When they donate a kidney to someone they haven’t met just because they know there is a need, they are the true heroes.

Megan had quite the journey in her 22 years on this Earth. God blessed our family and so many people around us with Megan. Megan was truly a gift from God. All the hospitalizations, tests, surgeries and everything Megan had to endure here on Earth made her a truly amazing lady in our eyes. Megan’s smile was so infectious and her laughs were very inspirational. Megan couldn’t verbally communicate with us, we knew inside what Megan always meant!!! Despite all of the challenges that Megan had in her life she was always with a smile.

I (and I’m speaking to others in our families too) faced my worst fear having my daughter leave this Earth and go to Heaven before me.

She has been such a giver in he life, she has been a inspiration by being a eye donor.

A young mother at 19, Zane and I had quite the journey together throughout his 14 years and 9 months here on this Earth. God blessed our family and so many people around us with Zane. He was truly a gift from God. The hospitalizations, tests, countless surgeries, therapies, and everything Zane had to endure here on Earth made him such a hero in our eyes and to so many around him. His smile was so infectious and even though he couldn’t verbally communicate with us, we knew what Zane always meant! Despite all of the challenges he faced, he was the happiest young man in the world.

I (and I’m speaking for others in our families too) faced my worst fear having my son leave this Earth and go to Heaven before me.

He has always been a hero, and continued his hero legacy being an organ donor.

Mom-

Thank you for your strength, guidance, wisdom and love.

You have taught us all so much about the power of Gratitude and serving others. The Joy you have given us will always be within us forever.

WE love you so much and know that you are at peace and dancing with Vic in Heaven.

Bill was a fun-loving, free spirit. He had a beautiful son, Joe, and four grandchildren that he was very proud of. Bill and Joe loved to go to car shows, NASCAR races, work on cars and go boating. Bill also loved to restore bicycles-especially old English bikes. He was meticulous in his work and his bikes were beautiful. Bill was a dog person who had a basset hound that he treated like royalty. Bill had a great sense of humor and a kind heart. He was a fun brother and loved his Mom enormously.

We are so proud of Bill for being a donor. It is comforting to know our loss is giving somebody a better life. He was able to donate his eyes, skin and connective tissue!

Doug was always generous and charitable, so it is fitting that “Organ Donor” was documented on his drivers license. He is grateful from above, that his gifts have been used to help improve the quality of life of a recipient in need.

Douglas Weir Jepson, age 62, of Mound, passed away on Saturday, September 14, 2019. Doug was born on August 18,1957 in Minneapolis where he grew up and graduated from Breck School in 1975. In 1992 he and his wife moved to Mound, MN. Doug has worked for CenterPoint Energy/Minnegasco, Home Service Plus for 22 years and was a member of Gas Workers Union Local 340.

Doug was preceded in death by his parents, Dr. William and Margaret (Carrothers) Jepson; and survived by his loving wife Ann (Schouweiler) Jepson; step-mother Nancy Jepson; siblings William “Scott” (Susan) Jepson, Hollister (Dave Metzger) Jepson, Mark Jepson; nieces, nephews, in-laws, relatives and a host of longtime friends.

Doug has been a longtime member of Mound Evangelical Free Church, 2117 Commerce Boulevard, Mound, MN, where his service will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2019. Visitation 10AM, Mass 11AM, Interment 12 Noon at Mound Union Cemetery, followed by reception at Lord Fletcher’s in Spring Park.

We Miss You And Love You Dougy!

Erin was a mother of two, Kayla, 13 and Lamar, 10. Her world revolved around them. She often went without the basics in order for the kids not to.

Kayla…..” Mom like to hang out with me and Lamar take us to do fun things. She liked to watch movies with us. She like to hang out with friends. ”

She overcame obstacles growing up most of us would not dream of. Night school enabled her to find employment and things were looking up.

Erin was a great cook, her fried chicken was second to none, including KFC. She liked going to ocean beaches and looked forward to more visits.

I do not know much about her. For no good reasons, Erin and I were estranged from age 3 until she came of age at 18. Getting back together was a long, slow process and progress was being made. I feel thankful we managed to get as close as we did. She was indecisive about future plans, she thought about leaving Minnesota and yet did not want to break the bonds of friendship she had with a few special people in her life.

Everyone who knew her was/is devastated with her passing. We are all pleased her dying was not in vain, having donated her harvestable organs and tissue that others may live and enjoy the fruits of life.

“What we have once enjoyed we can never lose; all that we deeply love becomes a part of us.” – Helen Keller

On December 1, 2018, Kathleen Anne Paripovich-Adan was called home. She was a loving daughter, sister and mother to four beautiful children. Katie was born on July 1, 1975 in Minneapolis to Michael and Darla (Leverenz) Paripovich. She graduated from Buffalo High School and went on to get her degree in Graphic Design from Bemidji State University.

In 1999, she married Daniel Adan and had son, Alejandro Daniel and two daughters, Adi Itzel and Ana Lucia Josephine. In 2010, Katie married Tanner Niemeyer and they had a daughter, Aspen Rae. Katie’s children were her whole world. She was so proud of their talents. She especially loved to hear them sing!

Katie had a love for dance. Her free spirit, contagious energy and smile were what made so many people love her. She was creative and artistic and loved playing practical jokes and being silly. She loved riding and showing horses, especially her beloved horse, Shambey.

Katie was preceded in death by her father, Michael; sister, Stephanie; grandparents, Dewey and Frances Paripovich and Jasper and Berniece Leverenz.

She is survived by her children, Alex, Adi, Ana and Aspen; her mother, Darla Paripovich; brother, Chris Paripovich; sisters Michelle (Kevin) Thompson, Sarah Paripovich; nieces and nephews, Nick Paripovich, Jasper (April) Thompson, Samantha Paripovich, Caley Paripovich, Sean Thompson, Emma Thompson and many chickens.

Honoring Katie’s wishes, the gift of life was shared with others through her organ donation.

“Love is stronger than death even though it can’t stop death from happening, but no matter how hard death tries it can’t separate people from love. It can’t take away our memories either. In the end, life is stronger than death.”—Anonymous

Tony was taken tragically and unexpectedly in a car accident.

He was born January 17, 1963 in Cahokia, Il. He moved to Minnesota in 1989.

He married his wife, Cindy, on July 9, 1993.

He was a loving husband and father. He worked at Chart Industries as a Logistics Manager. He also worked part time at Coborns Grocery Store.

He touched so many lives. He loved life and lived each day to the fullest.

He saved many lives through donation. He was as generous in death as he was in life.

He is survived by his wife of 25 years, his two sons, his daughter and his two beloved pups.

We love and miss him so tremendously.

Pat taught us: “At any time, if you’re feeling anxious, you can close your eyes, feel your heart beating in your chest, feel the breath in your lungs. This is God’s constant, moment-to-moment reminder that you are so loved, that you are where you are supposed to be, and that everything is exactly as it should be.”

Patrick McKee was born February 28, 1953, in Norfolk, Virginia to Thomas and Mabel McKee. His family moved to Florida when he was 9 years old, and he lived in Jacksonville until moving to Gainesville for college at the University of Florida. Pat then moved to Minnesota to study theology at St. John’s University in Collegeville. He quickly adopted all things Minnesotan, including Nordic skiing.

Pat met his wife Rita Felling at the University of Minnesota Newman Center when he was completing his MBA at Carlson and Rita was working as an RN in St. Paul. They celebrated their wedding reception at the Felling Family Farm and shared marriage, faith and adventure for 38 years.

Pat worked with churches and with many businesses providing management consulting, sales and systems engineering. He taught management at St. John’s University in Collegeville. He also taught at the Minnesota School of Business, St. Mary’s of Winona, and Unity High School. He coached his kids’ soccer teams and Rochester High School Nordic Ski team. He skied many Birkebeiners and Vasaloppet races and did triathlons in the “off-season.” He taught Sunday school, confirmation, RCIA and many adult enrichment and faith formation classes.

Pat’s Eagle Scout heart was alive in the woods and in the mountains, and many McKee Family Road Trips brought the family to Colorado hiking trails, North Carolina mountain lakes, and many national parks in addition to the annual road trip to visit his family in Jacksonville.

Pat was a man of deep faith and integrity and a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was a proud brother and a friend who invited others into his love of Nordic skiing, Irish Fair and Interstate Park volunteering, wood chopping, and business ideas. He also inspired community through his work with Iraqi refugee families and members of the Dakota community.

Pat proudly called every time he renewed his driver’s license to say that he “checked the box” to be an organ, tissue and eye donor. He generously gave the gifts of tissue and eye donation, a legacy we all celebrate.

Left to honor Pat and celebrate his life are his wife Rita (Felling); children Patricia (Ben Franske), Katie (Matthew Webster) and Mark; grandchildren Isaac, Meg and Wendell; his brother Tommy; his sisters Judy and Cathy; his Fitzgerald cousins, and many nieces and nephews whom he loved and who laughed at his jokes.

I was on the transplant registry for 6 months. At that time, cell phone service was limited, so my events were limited too. We were up north of Duluth one day, and I noticed that I did not have any cell phone service. We quickly left our group and returned to Duluth in order to have adequate cell phone service for a possible call.

When my transplant surgeon, Dr. Ty Dunn, called me at 10:30pm on 7/22/10, I knew what the call was about. I also KNEW what had happened to a donor somewhere. I felt such sadness for the family who had just lost someone. At the same time I felt such gratitude for that donor family to honor the wishes of their loved one.

Since the transplant of my donor pancreas, I have a totally new life! I sleep all night (something I haven’t done for 10 years) and participate in activities until completed. I only check my glucose once a day, instead of 11 times/day.

During the process of getting a transplant. I now have a 2nd chance at life. I know that EVERY day is a gift! Thanks to the gift of life my donor gave me!!!!

Nick and I were married on September 9, 1978 and raised two beautiful children, Andrew and Diane. Just four years after we were married, Nick sustained a work injury that damaged his lungs and made it difficult for him to work, play with his children and maintain our home. Then, in June of 1994, Nick found himself in the hospital for weeks, suffering from pneumonia. Nick was in and out of the hospital a lot the next couple of years and finally placed on the waiting list for a double lung transplant at the University of Minnesota.

July 10, 1996, just as things seemed worse than ever, we received a phone call from the Lung Transplant Coordinator at the University. The next day Nick received the greatest gift of all – the gift of life. His double lung transplant was thanks to a generous 18 year-old named Brian and we were so incredibly grateful for Brian and his family for giving Nick back to us.

The gift of life meant that Nick was given nine more years with his family and friends. He was able to see our children graduate from high school. Most importantly to spend time with family & friends., gardening, traveling, dancing & making people smile.

On May 24, 2005 Nick ended his journey on earth and started his new journey in heaven, and I know the first one to greet him was his donor Brian. Nick is now in heaven doing all of the things he could not do on earth – dancing, working, mowing the lawn, shoveling snow and watching over his family.

Neil was the first born. “Number one” of 4 boys, 1 girl, 3 more boys added later, 2 spouses of his siblings, and 2 nieces. A big, happy family!

He was a graduate of Rosemount High School, where he played hockey, since mini mites, football, and baseball. He was also a Boy Scout who completed his Eagle project. He went on to get a degree in business from MSB, where he gave one of the commencement speeches. It was one of the best speeches we have ever heard. He had quotes from his favorite athlete, Kirby Puckett and his favorite movie, Joe Dirt. He was witty, funny, and serious about his future.

He loved singing karaoke, movies, dancing, fishing, hunting, family functions, his nieces, holidays, gift giving, church, God, being with his grandma, friends, his dogs Snowball, Max and Banjo, Twins games, The Vikings, and HOCKEY!

He loved LIFE, which was suddenly cut way too short, from complications of surgery he had to have due to complications of medications he had taken for the last 5 years for mental health issues, which came out of nowhere and became a battle, and battle he did and NEVER complained!

He would, and did, give his last dollar, the shirt off his back, and friendship to anyone who needed it and in death anything that could be used to benefit others.

Neil was a donor! He had made that decision the day he first got his drivers license. When it became apparent, after 4 days in the ICU that he wasn’t going to make it, we honored that decision and the many gifts Neil could give. He had the most beautiful blue eyes and the kindest heart. When he sang, he sang loud and proud.

Life Source and Lions Gift of Sight have been a blessing to us in our unbearable grief and a miracle to others as they help give life and sight to recipients and honor those that made those gifts possible in many ways. The support given to the family’s of donors is a great help and continues until long past donation with many ceremonies, services, and ways to remember!

As Neil’s parents and family we miss him dearly and honor Neil and other donors by wearing our Support Life pins and bracelets. We are donors now and encourage all to give the gift of Life and Sight!

Neil, you were and are “the best” son, big brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, grandson, and friend, EVER!

At the age of 24, Kaylen sacrificed and answered the call to donate her kidney to her younger & only brother, Jake. She agreed to this with unconditional love & bravery. Because of her selfless act of love our family remains whole. Because of Kaylen, Jake is “1” year kidney strong. She helped turn a tragedy into a lifesaving gift. She continues to help and serve others in her personal & professional life. She is her family’s angel & her brother’s biggest fan.

Randy was a beloved husband, father, son, brother, uncle, cousin and friend. He was born on August 22nd, 1986. Randy graduated in 2004 from Centennial High School. He worked for Auto Glass Professionals for seven years where he was an outstanding employee.

He met the love of his life and soulmate (Danielle) in 2008, who he married in July of 2015. Randy and his wife welcomed their first child, (Drake) born 5 weeks early and 6 weeks before Randy’s passing.

Randy’s hobbies and interests included, spending time with his wife and the little time he had with his son, going to the movies, being outdoors, looking at the stars, NASCAR, watching the Minnesota Vikings, anything with cars and trucks, his motorcycle, his jet ski, being with family and friends and hanging out with his nieces and nephews who he adored.

He was the guy who was always there to lend a hand, even to a complete stranger. After Randy left us on earth, he was able to donate his lungs, liver, pancreas and tissue to give someone else a second chance at life! Randy became a donor the day he got his drivers licenses and checked the box every time. He often talked about how great it was to have that box checked.

Randy is missed very much! We know we have a special angel watching over us who we are very proud of!

We love you so much!

Betty was a mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister and a friend. Most of all, she was Grandma!

She was a loving wife of 51 years to Jim. Together they had 3 sons. She raised them with love and LOTS of patience. She was blessed with 3 daughters-in-law, finally some girls in her family!

The births of her 4 granddaughters (Kelsey, Alli, Jaci and Lauren) were her reward for having to put up with all those sons. Betty truly enjoyed her girls and was proud of everything they did.

Betty volunteered to be a donor knowing that someone in need would receive the benefit of a better life. Knowing that her donation changed lives brings much comfort to family and friends left behind.

Jim was a beloved father, grandfather, best friend, son, uncle, cousin, and so much more. Jim was born on July 24, 1950 in Sleepy Eye the son of Tom & Ruth(Schroeder) Bertrand. He was a graduate of St. Mary’s Catholic School and attended Southwest Technical College in Jackson, MN. In April of 1971 he married Paulette Zinniel at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. He lovingly raised three children. In May of 1994 he met his best friend and soulmate, Donna Augustin. Jim was employed by Corporate Graphic in Mankato and Mark Thomas Company in Sleepy Eye. His passion for perfection was beneficial to all of those around him. In addition to his full time career, Jim’s interests included following his favorite sports teams, hunting, fishing, golf and excursions with family and friends. Of special interest to him was being involved in the lives of his beautiful granddaughters, who will forever miss his smiles. While on this earth he selflessly gave of himself – his time and talents. His compassion, sense of humor, love of others and devotion to his faith will live on in the lives of his children and grandchildren. Jim was a true friend to those he met throughout his life, always available to lend a hand. Jim was a life long member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Catholic Aid Association and a past member of the C.O.F. As a registered donor, his generous nature continues.

Even though Pierre lived a short life of 9 years, I find comfort knowing he was able to save so many others lives-including 2 children! Bittersweet as it is and to put a positive spin on this tragedy, I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity of being a mother,

Going through his passing has taught me so much and I try to set an example for others: Life is short. It can be shortened at any minute! Cherish every moment, as well as your loved ones. And one more thing: DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF…..it’s not worth it and you will regret doing so!

Pierre was such a happy, loving, caring, and giving child! Donating life is exactly what he would’ve wanted! Making the decision to do so ultimately is what kept me going in my time of grief and sorrow. Just knowing multiple lives would be saved gave me comfort. I am hoping his story is an inspiration for others to be an organ donor themselves -and/or family & friends.

I am anxiously awaiting responses from Pierre’s recipients. Especially the 2 year old (at the time) that received Pierre’s heart! A heart of gold is what Pierre had! I am so excited to tell his reciepients about how amazing this little boy was but also see how their lives have changed since then. This is how my Pierre lives on!

I was diagnosed with IPF in Feb. 2012. I slowly declined for a while and was evaluated for a lung transplant in June of 2016. A 99% blockage in my LAD artery precluded a transplant listing at that time. I was then listed in March of 2017, and received a bi- lateral lung transplant on July 23, 2018.

So thankful for this incredible gift of new life.

Michael (Mike) John Nisbet lived in East Grand Forks, MN and Grand Forks, ND. He was a loving son, brother, cousin and friend to many. His passion was collecting railroad memorabilia and specifically the Great Northern Railway. Mikes other passion was his love for pick up trucks. As the picture shows, he certainly knew how to pick them!

Mike graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelors of Commincations and a perfect 4.0 GPA. Wow!

He worked at Minnetonka Power Cooperative in Grand Forks, ND as the Public Relations Supervisor. This was the perfect job for Mike, as he was a master with words.

Mike decided to be a donor while he was in college. A friend of his told him about her plans and he thought what an awesome thing to do.

Mike’s heart saved another life. This seems very appropriate because anyone that knew Mike, knows what a big heart he had.

We love and miss Mike everyday. Although, now we have a wonderful angel in Heaven.

Love you Mike!

I am most grateful that we were blessed with our son, brother, uncle, and friend to many. He was the gift of life who was the most sincere, thoughtful and compassionate young man. Chad taught us love and kindness for others including animals and nature. His love of nature and caring for our earth was remarkable.

Chad taught others to be kind, honest, and fair. He was a role model to children of his friends and family. He had a playful spirit! His niece and nephews were so excited to spend time with their Uncle playing games, wrestling, and going places. Chad never missed a family event. I remember one November when he was in Denver and drove home in blizzard conditions to be with us for the holidays.

You will always be with us in Heart and Spirit! Love you always.

Mom and Family

I was the recipient of a lifesaving liver transplant on February 28, 2015, coincidentally International Rare Disease Day promoted by the National Organization for Rare Disorders. After diagnosis in 2008, I began volunteering with the rare disease community PSC Partners Seeking a Cure and in 2012 became a Volunteer Ambassador for LifeSource to promote awareness of organ and tissue donation.

Although there were no definitive treatments or cures for my liver disease, my spirit was bolstered through sharing my story, connecting with others, and spreading awareness. The rare liver disease that revealed itself in 2008 was called Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis or PSC. There are only about 29,000 people in the United States and 100,000 worldwide with this awful disease. It affects the bile ducts in the liver, obstructing the normal flow of bile and eventually progressing to close the branches and vessels of the biliary tree. It progresses differently in everyone with no viable treatments or a cure, and I spent 7 years having scopes to try to clear the blockages, place stents, and remove them after a period of time. Eventually, I began to have infections requiring hospitalizations. At the time of my transplant, the disease was quiescent, relatively speaking. In fact, I had just helped to set up a fundraiser for PSC Partners Seeking a Cure along with the University of Minnesota Duluth Women’s Ice Hockey Team to spread awareness of the disease and organ donation. At the time, I had never been on the liver transplant list and figured I had maybe 2-5 years before I may need one. No one could have predicted what followed just two days after this event I had been so proud to share with the hockey community.

I entered the hospital suspecting an infection I had experienced previously, but I would find out 10 days later that my body was rapidly deteriorating. Over three days in the hospital I gained 30 pounds of fluid, developed a life-threatening infection, kidney failure, fluid in the lungs, brain swelling, ischemia in my colon, and acidosis as the result of rapid fulminant liver failure. Emergently I was airlifted from Duluth to Mayo Clinic Rochester where the PSC had been managed. I was dying and immediately listed for transplant at the top of the list. After an ultrasound, the transplant team determined I suffered from a second rare liver disease called Budd-Chiari Syndrome. They quickly moved to intervene by surgically placing stents to open the hepatic veins of the liver that had been clotted. It was not possible to determine when these clots had began shunting the blood flow through the liver. Remarkably one week after the PSC/Organ Donation Awareness Event and just two days after being listed, I received my liver on Saturday February 28th. The procedure was flawless except the surgeons discovered that 40% of my colon was dead. After the additional surgery I was taken to the ICU for recovery. The trauma of the downfall meant it would take a greater amount of time for me to wake up. Multiple teams monitored my liver, kidneys, lungs, and brain very closely. Including the time prior to transplant I would only realize what happened, over a 10-day period, when I finally awoke on March 5th. Due to the liver failure and its affects on the brain, I had only a couple of memories before I was sedated for the ventilator prior to transport to Mayo Clinic. A friend of mine came into my room in the ICU and was surprised to see me awake. When I told her I had no idea what had happened, she began to tell me the story and was the first to relay that I had a liver transplant. As an athlete that had been an NCAA Champion and played with the United States Women’s National Ice Hockey Team, I knew my body in the context of high performance. However, recovery from this major trauma over the next 3 years required resilience, patience, and an understanding of fragility.

Sometime around 2012 when I began volunteering for LifeSource, I had the opportunity to learn about mindfulness as an employee at Mayo Clinic. This class developed a greater understanding of what it meant to embrace suffering. Upon the conscious moments of waking to life, my ensuing experiences were surrounded by a potent realism. Including the liver transplant, a simple list included 6 total surgeries, viral infection, liver rejection, blood thinning management, ostomy prolapse and perforation, multiple hospitalizations and two years with a physical therapist. With this context, my first walk and jog in June on a local trail felt unshackling. Shortly after this moment I decided to participate in my first Transplant Games of America. With every opportunity created to raise awareness for organ donation or PSC, I enter with the knowledge that “one person can make a difference.” Ever since reading it on a water bottle, this phrase has inspired me to exemplify it to others through my own experiences. I have felt its truth through support since diagnosis with a grueling disease. I have seen its truth through the collective efforts of people at PSC Partners Seeking a Cure and LifeSource. I have experienced its truth through the helping hands of support staff, nurses, doctors, surgeons, and medical transport teams. I am living that truth because of the decision of another to be an organ donor.

In 2002, I was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a scarring of the parts of the kidney that filter waste. Initially the symptoms weren’t too bad, with some fatigue and constantly feeling cold. After failed attempts to treat the condition, I was evaluated at Mayo and put on the transplant list. Several of my family members volunteered to be tested and my oldest sister turned out to be a match. My oldest sister proved to be a match and the transplant was scheduled for October 2003. In my pre-operative physical, my kidney function (which had been declining in steps) had dropped to the point that had I not been going in for the transplant, I would likely have been headed for dialysis. The transplant went well and both my sister and I are doing well after almost 15 years. Every day I am thankful for the tremendous gift my sister has given to me. I have competed in three transplant games over the years and am inspired by the stories every time I attend.

When I was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) at the age of 5, my parents were told I would only live to be about 8 years old. That used to be the life expectancy for those living with cystic fibrosis. Today, because of the amazing advancements with medical technology, the life expectancy is now in the 40’s.

CF is a progressive genetic disease that affects all the mucous secreting organs. It causes repetitive lung infections producing scare tissue limiting the ability to breathe and removing lung function. You can learn more at www.CFF.org.

My first of many lung infections started with a collapsed lung when I was a teenager. Over the years, my disease became more and more debilitating. There were countless hospital stays, sometimes for weeks at a time. By the time I was in my thirties, I was wearing oxygen 24/7 and my lung capacity was only around 30%. Breathing became very difficult.

Fortunately, when I was a very young girl, I was healthier. My parents allowed me to try anything I wanted and encouraged me to be active. I skied, tumbled, ran around, and I began figure skating for fun. I ended up excelling in skating and at the age of fifteen, I started living away from my home state of Minnesota to train on the East Coast all while living with cystic fibrosis and CF related diabetes. I would fly home to see my health care team, sometimes have a quick hospital stay then head back to practice.

I ended up being on the United States National, International, and Junior World Figure Skating Teams as an Ice Dancer. I was hoping to be on the Olympic team but unfortunately, I was hit in my car in an accident causing injuries to my back and hip. Although I was devastated my skating career was finished, CF was not the reason for the cause.

Having CF, I always knew of the importance of exercise. Helping move the thick sticky mucus around so I could cough was just as important as daily treatments. After my accident, the severity of my pain prevented me from being active for a couple of years. I ended up having more frequent hospitalizations. It seemed every time I was discharged from the hospital, I was being readmitted with severe lung infections.

Since CF is a progressive disease, each year became more and more difficult. After I turned thirty, my health really started to decline.

For seven years, I wore oxygen 24 hours a day. I spent nearly forty hours a week attached to machines for treatment. For months on end I would have to have a tube sticking out of my chest to deliver I.V. medications, and I spent countless days in the hospital with reoccurring lung infections.

Talks with my CF care team started to become very serious about lung transplant. Luckily, I was deemed a good candidate and made the decision to be placed on the lung transplant list. It was my only option for relief with my breathing and survival. I had hope I would feel good someday.

The three years while I waited on the transplant list, breathing became so challenging even washing my own hair was a struggle. I couldn’t walk up more than two stairs at a time before I was out of breath gasping for air, I was terribly underweight due to the absorption issues that go along with CF but also because I was burning so many calories just trying to breathe. The daily exhaustion overwhelmed me.

My most difficult challenge was staying alive long enough to receive my new lungs. There were some days I wondered if I would survive.

Despite many difficult days and nights, I was not giving up my fight to live and I always looked forward to the next day.

I was fortunate to receive a life-saving double lung transplant at the University of Minnesota Transplant Center in August 2013. Now, I am running up flights of stairs, hiking mountains, spreading awareness for organ donation, and enjoying life to the fullest! I am even back on the ice as a figure skating coach! What once was a only a dream, is now reality. These are only a few of the things I am able to accomplish due to the wonderful gift I have received.

I wrote my donor’s family a few times and two years after my lung surgery, I received a letter from my donor’s mother. I have a picture of the nice young man that selflessly checked the box on his driver’s license to become my donor.

I am forever grateful for the gift I have received. I look at my donor’s photo and I honor him every day by putting my hand on my chest and taking a deep breath, because I can.

In 2017, I also became a tissue recipient. I can’t ever express the gratitude I have for my donors for enhancing and giving me the greatest gift of all ~ The Gift of Life ~

Donating has given me more than I could have imagined. The impact it has had on my mother’s life has been incredible, but the gift I have received in return has been meeting and hearing the stories of many others that have gone through similar situations as well as those that have endured so much more.

Blessed to have Given

My daughter Carly was born on March 3, 1995 with a rare kidney & liver disease. (Polycystic Kidney & CHF) She was Immediately life Flighted after she was born and spent a month in Neonatal ICU before coming home. We were first notifited that Carly needed a Kidney transplant as some point in her life but were never given an exact time table as the progression of her kidney disease was not predictable.

When Carly turned 9 years old her Doctors began to talk to us about a transplant and asked us if we had some possible donors in our family. My wife and I both jumped at the chance to donate and I went through the screening process first and was a spot on match. I did not hesitate to be a donor and was really blessed that I was not only a Organ match but that was in good health in order to donate.

Carly has lived a fairly normal life post transplant and was even a Captain & All American Competitive Cheerleader in Highschool. As with any disease Carly has also endured several other issues such as a Splenctomy and other complications from her liver disease.

We are all blessed that Carly is able to FULLY participate in this years (Her second) Transplant Games.

I was born with a rare kidney and liver disease and spent my first month of life in the NICU. My parents were told I would eventually need a Kidney transplant. When I was 8 years old the doctors at Mayo Clinic in Rochester decided it was time for transplant and they started the process of finding a donor. My dad was a perfect match and on July 14, 2004 he gave me his kidney. I am forever grateful for receiving a kidney and for everyday I remain healthy.

May 13, 2014 at 6:55 PM I was healthy. (Doctors would later say that they could have subjected me to all known cardiac tests the day before and I would have passed with flying colors.) At 7:00 PM, friends were calling an ambulance.

Unbeknownst to me, some of my arteries were affected by a genetic condition which caused a spontaneous coronary arterial dissection (SCAD) within the artery feeding my heart oxygen. The result was a list of complications too numerous to list here but that include ECMO, coma, the brainwaves of a drunken tree frog, heart pump, toes amputated, thyroid cancer surgery, removal of an adrenal gland, brain bleed, heart transplant, spleen bleed, etc…). Twice I’d have to rehab in order to walk, do stairs, get independent.

My heart was supported by an LVAD for the first year after my heart attack. It was almost exactly 1 year from the LVAD install when they called me in to receive my heart. Receiving that phone call is very surreal. An LVAD is intended to be a “bridge” device and not the long term solution. I had recovered to the point of working part-time and golfing with buddies — even though doctors restricted me to my 8 iron or less : ). Getting that phone call about the transplant meant starting my recovery all over again but ultimately getting the chance to recover more fully.

Through out most of my adult life I donated blood and have been signed up as an organ donor because of my upbringing. It seemed an arbitrary thing – after all, the life you save isn’t sitting next to you. But as the recipient of a heart, the significance of that choice becomes much more real. I have the greatest sympathy and gratitude to the donor’s family for making this choice.

After 12 years of decreasing health and losing quality of life, I was finally diagnosed with liver disease and placed on the transplant waiting list. I was one of a small percentage of people who just had a bad liver. Cryptogenic Liver Disease. After 2 years on the transplant waiting list and being shut in my home, my liver continued to fail as I experienced severe encephalopathy. On February 1, 2009, I received a call from my 2nd cousins family in California. My cousin Donald had suffered a stroke and was declared brain dead. Donald was not a registered donor and his family had not consider donation until his 87 year old father reminded them that I needed a liver. Donald’s family decided to direct gift me his liver. Donald was the perfect match for me and I received my lifesaving transplant on February 4, 2009. After my transplant we were informed that I would have only made it one month more, two at the most. The doctors determined that my liver would have quickly failed and I would have plummeted with little hope of receiving a liver. I am so thankful for my gift, to Kim and the Hegman Family. We share a special bond for which I am grateful. My new life includes being a member of Team MN DAK and a LifeSource Ambassador. Currently I am studying to become a Healing Touch Practitioner in hopes of helping others who are or have been in my situation. I am blessed.

When I was 28 years old having a routine exam, the doctor found a mass on my liver. A few days later I had a football sized tumor removed and was diagnosed with liver cancer. Thirteen months later through examinations and more surgery, it was determined that I would need a transplant. On March 28, 2000 my sister Lori McEvoy selflessly donated the larger lobe of her liver in order to save my life. This gift has prolonged my life by 18 years and counting. The wonderful experiences I have been able to enjoy are too numerous to count. I have been able to watch my children grow-up, have become a grandmother, and have shared countless memories with the people I love. Without the gift of the transplant, I would not be here today.

Since my transplant I have had the opportunity to compete in the Transplant games numerous times since 2004. This event highlights the lives of those saved by organ transplantation, as well as honoring those who have given the gift of life through organ donation. It is an event that is dear to my heart and I have developed friendships with people around the country as a result.

I spent 11 months on dialysis prior to receiving my transplant. It was a grind every week to live with dialysis, although I am always grateful for the great care I received during that time too.

We received “the call” that a possible match had been found at about 10:30 at night. I was struck speechless & handed the phone to Kathy – it was too hard to believe. We got the final call the following morning to come in & begin preparing for the transplant. That was probably the most exciting & scary drive we ever have made to Fargo – and we were still wondering if it was true.

We have learned how delicate life is & just what it takes to care for these bodies we were blessed with. We also have learned how to live each day to its fullest, as we know how quickly it can change. I do my best to take care of myself to honor the donor that gave all so I could live a better life.

I wish my donor could know how much life I have gotten because of his/her choice to donate. The last 10 plus years have been a blessing to me and my family & I am eternally grateful. Thank you.

Jake as a child was a charming, loving, easy going and very busy little boy.

He was always on the go until he could go no more. Then he would disappear and I would find him in bed sleeping with Bear..

Jake was a squirrel. His pockets were full of everything. Even as he grew up, pockets were full but then of money.

Danne at the age of 17 years old decided to be an organ donor. He was a caring young man, and his friends and family were very important to him.

Danne was a graduate of Irondale High School in New Brighton, Minnesota. He joined the Army Reserves, and later moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. A car accident took his life, and at that point his unselfish wish was fulfilled. He was 27 years old at that time, a young man’s life cut short, but the precious gift of organs gave new life to many others.

Loving memories of him are a blessing to us!

Brantley was/is an amazing child and he touched so many peoples hearts. He was only a few hours old when he died. We had a chance to see if he could donate to help save other children’s lives and of course we said yes. He had a chance to donate his heart valves and we were so excited that he could help save someone else’s little baby. He brought so many people together when he showed up in this world. March 28th, 2018 is his first birthday and my fiancé and I thought it would be a good idea to do something a little extra special for him. We wanted to make sure he was honored in a special way. He was a very big baby. He was 23 inches long and weighed 8lbs 7oz. He would’ve been a very big boy today. He is keeping a good eye on his great grandpas, his auntie, and many other family members who are up there to keep him company. You will never be forgotten Brantley.

I was diagnosed with diabetes at 17. This was a tough time as I was preparing to venture out on my own and I struggled controlling the disease. After about 26 years, and all of the complications associated with diabetes, I was told that my kidneys were failing and I qualified for both a kidney and pancreas transplant. I was put on the kidney/pancreas combo list while we looked for a kidney donor. Luckily a number of family members were willing to be tested. I ended up on dialysis for three months before my brother was identified as a match. A date was set in April, 2001 for the kidney transplant. Waiting was stressful and I did my best to stay healthy.

Imagine the surprise when the phone rang one Sunday night in March and a doctor said that there was an organ available for me. There was a bit of confusion as we sorted out with the doctor that it was only the pancreas. I had been moved to the pancreas-only list. The doctor said if my brother could come to the hospital that night, they’d do both at once. We had an hour to get things arranged or the pancreas would go to the next person on the list. Many things aligned that night: I was able to reach my brother; he was able to reach his boss and get permission to go early; my mother-in-law happened to be visiting so we had child care. I was only the third or fourth person to get a simultaneous transplant from a living-related donor and a deceased donor.

Since the transplant, I have been able to live a normal, insulin-free life. I’ve seen my twins graduate from high school and college and move into adulthood. I’ve participated in all of the US Transplant Games since 2004, competing in track, swimming, 5K, and volleyball. I’ve even managed to win a few medals for the team. I’m actually planning my retirement with my wife, something I didn’t think I’d reach before transplant.

My transplant journey started in 2000 with the diagnosis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. While the chemotherapy was effective, it almost shut down my kidneys so we had to abandon the cancer treatment to concentrate on my kidneys. In 2002, the cancer had advanced to the point where a bone marrow transplant was the only long-term solution. I was put on the waiting list with the Be the Match donor registry of the National Marrow Donor Program. A match was found in umbilical cord blood and the transplant was completed in October 2002. I returned to work following a three-month leave and have been cancer-free since. I want to thank the mother who was thoughtful enough to donate the cord blood. A huge thanks also goes out to the doctors and nurses involved in my care before and after the transplant.

As a member of Team MN-Dak, we celebrate the gifts of organ, eye and tissue donation and encourage others to register as a donor. By competing in the Donate Life Transplant Games of America we honor our donors, our donor families and celebrate life.

Donald was born in Oakland, California and lived in California all his life. Donald and I (Kim Hegman) met in Oakland when I was around 9 and he was 11. He was my brother’s best friend. We were married in 1975 and had two sons. When Donald had his stroke in January 2009 my son’s and I made the decision to donate his organs. Donald’s father Dennis was the one that told us that Donald’s second cousin, Sue Skedsvold, in Minnesota was in need of a liver transplant. Thus started a journey of life renewed and a lifelong friendship between Sue and I. We have since stayed in touch, visiting each other several times over the years, gone on vacation together and participated in 2 Transplant Games, Houston and Cleveland. We look forward to many more adventures.

Donald was a contradiction, his was all about logic and facts, but his persona was all about love and emotion. He was politically astute, always thinking about the way the world was heading. He was an avid reader about the “State of the Union” But, he loved to sit back and watch the “Comedy Channel “and “South Park”. His all time favorite was holding granddaughter Ashlyn in his recliner, watching “Sponge Bob”. He had “Nemo” and the “Bee Movie” memorized. He always said the best part of life were the hugs and kisses he received and gave back in-kind to Ashlyn. Donald was our geriatric/pediatric expert and caregiver. He was always one to help and he was always right about everything. He was a dirty old man and a crotchety old man; He was the love of our lives.

I waited four months in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit for the right heart. While there, i decided to make the most of my time by considering my stay as a Sabbatical. i learned to Knit, took a Painting lesson and tried to re-learn my High School French.

I made an effort to get to know my caregivers and the hospital staff. I learned a few words in Tibetan as there were many staff from Tibet and/or India. Their eyes would light up when i greeted them in Tibetan.

My days were filled to the brim with tests to take, physical therapy, exercise and other things to do. Evenings were spent watching Movies or TV series. Usually I went to bed exhausted and slept like a baby.

Becky was the person that would always give the shirt off her back to help others. As can be seen by her decision to be a donor. Her selfless decision saved the life of three people over Christmas of 2010.

Having kidney disease and going through acute renal failure makes you look at life differently and changes your priorities in life. I’m extremely thankful for my gift of life and that I was able to find a living donor who would share one of her kidneys with me. I imagine what my life would have been like had I not received the gift. Having kidney disease robs you of life and makes it difficult to enjoy the time you do have. As I take anti-rejection twice a day, it makes me stop and appreciate my gift. I spend more time with friends and family now and I take time to love life, rather than focus solely on my work.

Giving someone the gift of life can have a profound impact on the them and the world around them. I am excited that I am able to give back and feel that I need to earn my kidney each and every day by loving life and paying it forward.

My journey with transplantation began in 1987, when a routine physical revealed abnormal liver enzyme readings. I was subsequently diagnosed with a chronic liver disease. I had only moderate symptoms until 1994, when my condition began to deteriorate. In January of 1995 I was hospitalized in desperate condition. No one knew whether I would live long enough to receive a transplant.

On Friday the 13th, I collapsed in the hospital and prayed for God to end my ordeal one way or the other. After some emergency procedures, I went to sleep and didn’t wake up until that Sunday morning, when I learned that I had received a liver transplant the previous day.

At the age of 49, I had been given the amazing gift of a second chance at life. While in the hospital I saw on a bulletin board the story of a person who raced her bicycle in the Transplant Games, an Olympic-style competition just for transplant recipients. As a longtime cyclist, I vowed that I would be like that person. I competed in my first Transplant Games in Salt Lake City in 1996, and have competed in over a dozen additional American and international games, winning several medals.

When I received my transplant, I never expected to grow old. At the time, the oldest living liver transplant recipient in Minnesota was 13 years post-transplant, and the expectation was that a recipient could hope to live, on average, 5-10 years. My deepest wish was that I could live for at least 5 years, so that I could get my two kids through college. Now in my 70’s, I not only saw my kids graduate from college and graduate school, but also to get married and have kids of their own.

We seldom realize it, but growing old is a privilege. It is also a privilege that will never be enjoyed by the thousands who die each year waiting for an organ transplant. Transplant medicine has progressed considerably in the last 30 years, and many more recipients can now how hope to extend their lives for decades. And many, many more could do so if only an organ were available. More than ever, donation matters, and donation works.

Mitchell Hoenig (Age 20) passed away on February 25, 2018. A native of Plano, Texas, Mitchell earned the National Merit Scholar designation and attended the University of Minnesota pursuing a double degree in Biochemistry and Psychology. He had scored in the 99.7th percentile on his MCAT with the intention of continuing on to medical school. Mitchell had a dream of becoming a physician.

Mitchell brightened the lives of everyone around him with his humor, creative outfits, and genuine compassion. He made friends everywhere and had a positive impact on everyone.

Mitchell’s life-saving gifts include his heart, lungs, liver, 2 kidneys, pancreas, and tissue. It has given our family great comfort knowing that Mitchell was able to fulfill his desire to help others in need. He will forever be missed and loved!

I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2012 at the age of 27. In August of 2016 I was admitted into the ICU at Abbott Northwestern and placed on the waiting list for a heart transplant. During my stay I had an LVAD (heart pump) put in to allow me to to stay healthy enough until a heart was found. Once the Lvad was put in I could wait on the telemetry side of the hospital and have a bit more freedom. Although I was in the hospital and knew the seriousness of my situation and even with the setbacks that happened while I was there, the entire staff from the doctors to the nurses and coordinators and on down to the housekeeping staff, they were some of the big reasons to stay positive and made the wait more pleasant. On December 10th at five in the morning one of my doctors came to my room to inform me that a heart had been found.

Several days after the transplant as I was being moved from ICU to the telemetry unit, things really sank in when my doctor told me I was no longer a heart failure patient. Although still to this day a specific cause for my heart failure has never been determined, I am for ever thankful to my Donor for the heroic decision to become an organ donor

I was born with biliary atresia and had my first surgery at 2.5 mos. old. At age 11 years I had surgery to remove my spleen which put me into liver failure. I was transferred to the Univ. of Minnesota to be listed for a transplant. On April 30, 1988 I was told that they found a match and I would have my transplant. On May 1, 1988 I received the liver transplant that I desperately needed.

I am forever grateful for my donor family, the Robertson’s of Indiana. They made the decision to donate their sons organs after he was seriously injured in an accident. In 1998 I was able to meet them for the first time.

I am forever grateful for their decision and have been able to experience many wonderful life events since including,

Participating/competing in dance and soccer

Graduating from high school and college

My siblings marriages

The birth of my nieces and nephews

Traveled the World

Competing in many Transplant Games

My own marriage to my husband, Andy

Becoming a Stepmom to 3 wonderful kids

Currently, I am completing my Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education and my husband and I just bought our first home together.

Thanks to my donor family my life has been extended by 30 years and counting!

Phillip was born in a small town in Mississippi and moved to Minnesota when we married on May 9, 1973. He originally worked on line boats that ran from New Orleans to St. Paul, MN. After our marriage he got a job with Capital Barge working boats in the St. Paul Harbor. He worked briefly in Winona, MN and St. Louis but returned to St. Paul in 1976 the year our second daughter was born. We were introduced to transplantation when Marisa was 11 and it was determined that she needed a liver transplant due to her diagnosis at birth of biliary atresia. She received her transplant at the University of Minnesota Hospital on May 1, 1988 with Dr. Payne as her transplant surgeon. Thirty years later she is living an amazing life thanks to her transplant. Find her story at Marisa Peterson.

After Marisa was transplanted Phillip served for a time on a parent board at the University of Minnesota through the Child Family Life Department. Phillip shared Marisa’s story over the years and had his license marked for organ donation should anything happen to him. When he was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 he made the decision to donate his body to the Anatomy Bequest Program at the University of MN because he wanted others to benefit from what could be learned from his body. Because of the cancer his corneas were the only part of his body that could be safely transplanted. He gave the gift of sight to two individuals. Hopefully they have been able to see the river he loved so much. He was a quiet man who worked hard, loved his family, and gave what he could in his death to help others.

Matthew was the best father on this planet. The love he had for his family was fierce and uninhibited….Everything he did was for us and we always felt safe and protected.

Matthew was a veteran in the United States Navy and was very mechanically inclined. He loved Northern Minnesota and enjoyed time outside with his son Oscar.

Matthew was survived by his parents, his brothers Jesse and Chris, and in death his brother Dustin.

Matthew was our hero and we are fortunate to have many happy memories. He will live on in so many ways now.

Anna was born with biliary atresia and had the Kasei procedure done when she was just 10 weeks old. She was placed on the transplant waiting list when she was 13 months old. She remained healthy, and was fortunate to receive her liver transplant in April of 2002, at the University of Minnesota Medical Center just 10 days after her second birthday. Even at age two, she was an incredible patient. Luckily, she has had very few complications, and has been very healthy throughout this amazing journey that is her life. Anna is grateful to her donor family, and hopes to someday meet them.

She has participated in seven Transplant Games—every one since 2004 when she was just four years old. You’ll see Anna racing around the track, serving a volleyball, and teaming up with Candy to play pickle ball at the 2018 Games in Salt Lake City. She also looks forward to connecting with fellow organ recipients and friends from across the country, all while paying tribute to the donors who give the gift of life.

Anna is an active teen who participates in track and field, gymnastics, and dance, while also excelling in her academic studies. She will graduate from St. Louis Park High School in May, and is considering a career in law or journalism.

Cole was a handsome, loving, caring young man, who always had a big smile on his face. He would brighten the day of anyone who saw his smile. Cole had a close bond with his younger brother, Ben. He was greatly loved by friends and family. Cole loved the classic red Chevelle he shared with his dad. He enjoyed traveling like his mom, basketball, Adam Sandler movies, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and all types of music. True to his caring nature, Cole was studying to be a nurse.

Janeen was a vibrant young woman who was taken from us way too soon. She was only 26 years old at the time of her unexpected death. She loved her life and she had many friends. She was always cheerful and had the most wonderful laugh. She was very beautiful inside and out. Long thick blond hair, just a beautiful person. Of course she was not perfect but near perfect is pretty close.

She was a good listener and always wanted to help people in need. She was clever and loved animals.

She was a modern day flower child. And every week she had a new scheme to save the environment. She only ate organic and supported the local farmers and co-ops. She did a lot of traveling in her short life and her light shown the brightest to her family and many friends.

She is greatly missed everyday. And she would be proud to know she helped many lives by being a donor. I never saw my daughter angry, she was kind to everybody and always had a bright smile.

Thank you for your time. In remembrance of our dear Jeannie. By her mom.

My name is Michelle Lee and I am Connor’s Mom. Thank you for taking the time to read Connor’s story.

Connor was my ‘daring child’ from a very young age. Attempting crazy trips down steep hills in wagons or on a bike, after he had only just learned to ride without training wheels. He spent every moment he could outdoors playing football, baseball, snowboarding, shooting hoops, or just hanging out with friends and family. Connor loved his two brothers dearly and was a gentle soul who lit up the room with his contagious smile. He was diligent with his studies through high school, was a natural athlete, and loved being part of the football team more than anything. He lived life simply and fearlessly.

Connor was 19 years old, in his first year of college, when I received a tragic phone call. He was found unconscious in his dorm room from an accidental heroin overdose. He had apparently only used the drug a few times; I was never aware of it. After being on life support for two days we learned more of Connor’s condition and needed to decide whether to continue Connor on life support. I still remember the look on his doctor’s face when I said, “something good needs to come out of this, what about organ donation, can we donate his organs?” The doctor’s face lit up with the biggest smile and he said, “I am so glad you asked that question”. Through Connor’s selfless act of choosing to be an organ donor on his driver’s license we were able to donate his organs. The next two days were filled with tears and sadness, but now we had this glimpse of HOPE. Out of the tragedy of losing a son, lives could be saved, and eye-sight could be given. Individuals who had only hoped and prayed would now get the phone call they always wanted. Connor’s death would give others a chance at a new healthier life.

Since Connor’s passing we have heard from many of his friends who have described Connor as being the one who was always there to support them and keep the ‘team together’ through struggles or difficult times. Whether it was with his jokes, stories, ear-to-ear grin, or the music he would play, that brought everyone a smile or chuckle. Connor loved music of all kinds and the louder he was able to play it (especially in the shower) the happier he was. Countless family members and friends who have gone to the DMV to renew their license have checked the box to become an organ donor because of his story. Connor lives on through a legacy of giving and kindness that continues to touch so many hearts.

The pain of losing Connor will always be with us. LifeSource has eased this pain and has been the light through the darkness, and I am truly grateful to have met such caring individuals.

Connor is missed each and EVERY day ~ but he has left a handprint on all our hearts that will be with us FOREVER.