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Virtual Legacy Garden

A space for honoring and celebrating those who have given the gift of sight. 

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Saving Sight Virtual Legacy Garden

Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same.
–Helen Keller

In 2019, 2,942 heroes gave the gift of sight though eye donation with Saving Sight. We are continually looking for new ways to celebrate our donors as well as their families who helped to make their gifts possible. Saving Sight is creating a virtual legacy garden hosted on our Instagram as an additional way to remember and honor our donors, especially during these times of limited human interaction.

A virtual memorial is an online space created for the purpose of remembering, celebrating, and commemorating those who have passed and we hope our legacy garden will live on and continue to grow for years to come.

We encourage our donor families to contribute their own garden themed photos in remembrance of their loved one along with a special story or quote to be featured on our Instagram. There is no deadline, and families may contribute at any time.

We hope our garden is a source of beauty, hope, and connection for both our donor families and recipients alike, and we encourage visiting our Instagram to share kind comments of remembrance and support as our garden begins to bloom.

To submit your own contribution, please complete the form below.

Honoring Esther’s Legacy of Love and Giving

Esther grew up on a small dry-land farm in rural central Kansas, where hard work and family values shaped the life she would go on to live. She married her high school sweetheart, a farmer, and together they built a life rooted in love, resilience, and community. For...
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A Father’s Legacy Lives on Through the Gift of Sight

When Dustin received a letter in the mail about his father’s cornea donation, he paused. The logo at the top was instantly familiar: Saving Sight. For years, Dustin has worked with the organization as its financial advisor—helping manage retirement plans and guiding...
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Restored by the Kindness of a Stranger: Sieglinde’s Story

For months, Sieglinde had been living with excruciating pain and blurred vision in her right eye. “It got so bad I could hardly see straight out of my other eye,” she recalled. Sieglinde endured six months of deteriorating vision and persistent discomfort, trying...
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Aleigha’s Light: A Mother’s Love, A Daughter’s Legacy

Aleigha was the kind of person who always put others first. Sensitive and kind-hearted, she never hesitated to help someone. From a young age, Aleigha was outgoing, funny, and full of life. She loved watching her younger brother’s football games with her mom, laughing...
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Ben’s Story: A Journey of Sight, Life, and Gratitude

For Ben, life has been full of surprises—some tough, others miraculous. His journey as a triple transplant recipient is a testament to the power of eye, organ, and tissue donation and the generosity of others. During his years as a high school teacher, cross-country...
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A New View on Life: Matt’s Cornea Transplant Journey

For Matt, a cornea transplant meant the difference between fading vision and a world brought back into focus. Matt’s journey began unexpectedly after a seemingly minor ear infection ruptured as he slept. As he wiped his pillowcase, discharge from his ruptured eardrum,...
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Honoring Chad: A Mother’s Tribute to Love and Legacy

Chad, a vibrant soul with a zest for life, left a mark on those who knew him. "He was a very happy person," Linda fondly recalls. "He loved to have fun, joking and wrestling around." Tragically, Chad's journey came to an end in January 2017 due to a car accident....
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Kathy’s Journey of Restored Sight Through Transplantation

Kathy's journey to restored sight began after her cataract surgery in the fall of 2023. The procedure that she expected would improve her vision did not deliver the results that she was expecting and led to the discovery of underlying vision issues. “After my cataract...
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ScottHagerty photo

Transplant Recipient’s Vision Twice Renewed

Scott's journey to restored vision began on a farm in central Kansas when he was 19. After unloading grain from storage bins, Scott noticed that his left eye had swollen shut. Scott eventually found his way to Dr. Bruce Grene in Wichita, Kansas where he was treated...
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A Transplant Becomes an Opportunity for Regained Sight

For years, Karie of Kansas City, MO, suffered from reduced vision in her right eye after a bout with shingles while on chemotherapy. She was left with scarring from the shingles on her eye that impacted her vision and resulted in corneal blindness. At first, she was...
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Legacy Garden Submission

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • If you would like to preserve the anonymity of your loved one, feel free to use nicknames or first names with only a last initial.
  • Accepted file types: jpg, png, pdf, gif, tiff, Max. file size: 20 MB.
    Please upload a garden themed picture to represent your loved one (i.e., favorite flower, favorite bird, a garden landscape).
  • Accepted file types: jpg, png, pdf, gif, tiff, Max. file size: 20 MB.
    If you wish, upload a photo of your loved one here.