Because of donation, Vivian and Larry know that John’s legacy lives on in 37 other people. For Larry and Vivian, volunteering in support of the Donate Life message has brought great healing after their son John gave the gift of life as an eye and tissue donor.
John was a loving and protective big brother to his sister, Eleanor. Just 17 months apart, the siblings shared many friends and interests. They both loved sports and music. “John played the baritone saxophone on an award-winning jazz band in junior high and high school, earning a personal award at a jazz festival in high school,” said Vivian. He was also very involved in scouting, from Tiger Cubs to Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. John also loved politics and was involved in many political organizations, especially when he went to college. “Just 6 weeks before John passed away, he started school to become a massage therapist, which had long been a dream of his,” said Vivian.
John died of an aortic dissecting aneurysm on October 11, 2004, just under four weeks before his 23rdbirthday. “When the ER doctor came in to ‘that’ room to tell us the news that they were unable to revive John, our world collapsed around us,” said Vivian. “At some point, we thought of donation and told the nurse that we wanted John to be a donor. There was no thought, at this point, about what could or could not be donated. We simply wanted him to be a donor.”
Gift of Hope in Illinois called Larry and Vivian at the hospital to explain the donation process. “After this day, the next correspondence we received was from the Lion’s Eye Bank, now Saving Sight. We were told John’s corneas went to two people in Missouri who could now see this world through our son’s beautiful eyes,” said Vivian. “Thus began the feelings of comfort and healing that donation gives to the donor family. Over the next few years, we received the news that John’s other bones and tissues were given to 35 other recipients.”
Because of donation, Vivian and Larry know that John’s legacy lives on in 37 other people. “A man and a woman in Missouri gained sight because of his corneas. The fact that two people see this world through John’s eyes is remarkable,” said Vivian. “A Staff Sergeant in the Army has a rebuilt knee from our son. Beyond those, there are 34 people from New York to California and Florida to Wyoming, who carry a part of our son’s precious gift.”
Larry and Vivian have been very involved as Donate Life volunteers on both the national and local level. Volunteering with Donate Life
As a donor family, Larry and Vivian feel there is no way to overstate how meaningful John’s donation has been to their ability to cope with, and survive, in a world without him. “Add to this, the benefits of being advocates for donation through Saving Sight, IL Secretary of State Jesse White’s office, Gift of Hope and Eversight, and you have our recipe for survival,” said Larry. One of the questions Vivian asked the day he died was ‘How will people know John?’ “This is accomplished by being donor advocates for the above organizations and others. We have been blessed to share John throughout the state of Illinois and to places as far away as Savannah, GA, Denver, CO, Salt Lake City, UT and Pasadena, CA. The measures of comfort and healing we have been blessed with are incredible. It is our saving grace,” said Larry.
Larry and Vivian have been very involved as Donate Life volunteers on the national and local level. Here are a few of their volunteer experiences:
Presentations and booths (too numerous) for groups from small health care seminars, nursing students, hospital staff, and professional organizations associated with donation (funeral home directors, coroners, etc).
Savannah, GA – Presentation for the American Pyrotechnic Association’s National Conference, 2010
Denver, CO – Presentation to Allosource home office staff, 2007 and 2015
Denver, CO – Presentation to all 3 shifts at Statline, 2015
Salt Lake City, UT – Presentation to Allosource staff, 2007
Pasadena, CA – Donate Life Rose Parade Float, Vivian rode the float in 2013, and John is on a Floragraph in 2018
Pasadena, CA – We are both members of the DL Rose Parade Float committee, 2013 to present
“We have received such healing through the organizations that have nurtured us and allowed us to tell our story, through their employees who are always there for us, through the recipients and donor families that we have come to know and love around the country, and most importantly, for this important cause which also allows us to include both our daughter and granddaughter in our journey as we honor John.”
In October, Larry and Vivian were able to travel to California to decorate a floragraph that will be carried on the 2018 Donate Life Rose Parade Float with their daughter Eleanor and granddaughter Alina. “We left the majority of the floragraph decorating to Eleanor, who did a fantastic job,” said Vivian. They left part of the floragraph unfinished to bring home to Illinois to have friends and family help complete it at a special event.
This November, Larry and Vivian held a beautiful celebration at the United Community Bank in Sherman to finish decorating John’s floragraph. The intent of the event was not only to finish John’s floragraph, but to also promote donation said Larry. “We invited family to help with this, as well as longtime friends of ours, John’s and Eleanor’s. We, of course, had help from Saving Sight and the IL Secretary of State’s Office, both at the event and leading up to it.”
“On the day of the event, we were overwhelmed by the response,” said Larry. “We saw former teachers and classmates of John’s, including his former jazz band director. Family and friends visited from all over the state of Illinois and Iowa.”
The decision to participate in the Donate Life Float was an easy one for their family. “We are blessed that our business was in a position to sponsor John this year. We have been involved with the Donate Life Float for 6 years – first as honorees and the last 5 as volunteers and committee members,” said Larry.
“It is unbelievable that John’s floragraph will be placed on the Donate Life Float and will have the chance to been seen by hundreds of thousands on the parade, and millions on television,” said Vivian.
Look for the Donate Life Float during the 129th Rose Parade on January 1, 2018.
For Danielle, knowing her 10-year-old son Devon could help others through being an eye donor gives her a sense of peace.
Losing a child is heartbreaking. For Danielle, knowing her 10-year-old son Devon could help others through being an eye donor gives her a sense of peace. “Devon is really missed so much, but I know that he is happy he was able to help someone else,” said Danielle.
Devon was born with Goldenhar Syndrome. Though his case had nothing to do with his heart, he was born with fluid on his brain, extra tissue on his eye and skin tags that were removed at birth. Devon also underwent surgery at the age of 2 and had 2 rods and 6 screws placed in his back.
Despite his health concerns and diagnosis of ADHD & ADD severe in first grade, Danielle said he was so smart, energetic and always smiling.
“He could make everybody smile; if you were having a bad day, he knew how to make you laugh,” said Danielle.
She added that Devon was a good big brother and loved his little sister so much. He also enjoyed playing with his cars, going to demolition derbies and being around others. Danielle said his favorite subject in school was writing – reading his writing today still touches her heart and brings a tear to her eyes.
“Even with the disability he had, it didn’t stop him from being the little kid that he was.” They lost Devon the summer before he was to begin 5th grade. “His teachers loved him so much – he could drive them nuts, but he was just the light of the room and could make them smile.”
When Danielle’s family lost Devon in 2015, they were approached by Saving Sight about eye donation. At the time, Danielle wasn’t familiar with donation and had limited knowledge about the donor registry. “When everything happened, I got the phone call to ask if we could donate,” said Danielle. “At that moment, it wasn’t quite the right time and I asked them to call back the next day. They did which was amazing and they respected me.”
Danielle wasn’t sure Devon could be a donor with his disabilities but was happy he was able to be an eye donor. “Devon would have wanted to help others because he had a situation with his eyes and, I think deep down, he will always know he was able to help somebody,” said Danielle.
Danielle recommends discussing donation to any family dealing with end of life care. “When we got a letter from California that was an amazing feeling that we were able to help somebody else that had a problem with their eyesight,” said Danielle, “It means a lot to somebody on the other end and I know it hurts because you’re loved one is gone but, in the end, it makes a difference being able to help others.”
You can join the millions of Americans like Devon who gave the gift of sight through eye donation, signupforthedonorregistry,register onlineat Donate LifeAmerica or at your local Department of Motor Vehicles office. And be sure to share your decision with your family and friends.
If you are a cornea transplant recipient or donor family and would like to share your experience like Danielle has, please send us a note through our Contact page. To learn more about writing your donor family or your loved one’s recipient, please read our Correspondencepage or contact Saving Sight at 800-753-2265.
Rick was an active family man who continued to give in death as an eye donor.
Rick enjoyed having a good time in all he did. He was also a good steward and gave his time freely to help others and loved spending time with his wife, children and grandchild. Rick lived an active lifestyle, was a gifted craftsman and an excellent athlete. He had given up basketball the year prior when he had heart surgery, but continued to play volleyball and golf until he passed away at age 61. Rick was a sports car enthusiast, an active deacon and church youth leader, and had served in the Missouri Army National Guard.
“He’s just a great guy gone way too soon,” said his wife Theresa.
Rick passed away of a heart attack during a volleyball game in 2014. “It was very hard on his teammates – they performed CPR – but I was very thankful he was not by himself,” said Theresa. Because living an active lifestyle was so important to Rick, he and his wife had talked about organ donation and end-of-life-care.
“While in shock and coming to grips that terrible night, there wasn’t a doubt that we were going to do the organ donation,” said Theresa. She and Rick were both blood donors and registered organ donors; they believed in giving what they could to help others. “It’s good to have those conversations, even though they’re not fun,” said Theresa. “You’re just so totally lost and in shock, but having some direction
Rick and Theresa share the belief in giving what they can to help others.
about what you’ve talked about gives you confidence in making these tough decisions.”
Theresa said some people might not understand the immediacy of the questions about donation. Hospital staff, the funeral home director and Saving Sight all explained the process and made the difficult situation as positive as it could be. It was impactful for her that Rick was able to help people until the very end with his gift of life.
Being able to donate his corneas meant a lot to Theresa because Rick had prided himself on his excellent eyesight compared to her needing strong corrective lenses. Because of Saving Sight’s correspondence program, Theresa knows Rick’s cornea was able to help a nurse regain her vision.
“It just helps me as I transition to life without him – it helps me know that I honored a wish of his,” said Theresa. Both of their children are nurses as well. Knowing their father’s recipient was a nurse resonated with them and reinforced to Theresa that it was a ‘meant-to-be kind of thing.’
Theresa said individuals thinking about joining the donor registry need to personally evaluate if that’s the right decision for them within their belief system. If it is, they need to be able to communicate that to their next-of-kin so it’s not a surprise when handling end-of-life-care. “That’s what I can really recommend – communicate. Death is hard enough, but when there’s surprises, that can be a challenge,” said Theresa.
Join the millions of Americans who have signed up for the donor registry by signing up online at registerme.org or at your local Department of Motor Vehicles office. And be sure to share your decision to be an eye, organ and tissue donor with your family and friends.
Aaron celebrated his 40th birthday shortly before he passed away.
A quiet and good-hearted man, Aaron loved spending time with his family, including his two children and grandchild. He also loved connecting with nature. Some of his favorite moments were spent on the river fishing and hunting for arrow heads with his son. Aaron was a talented whittler and would come up with the most unique ideas and designs to whittle into pieces of wood with his razor-knife.
Aaron was raised on a farm and worked in construction, following in father’s footsteps. Aaron had just celebrated his 40th birthday when he passed away.
“He was far from perfect, but he was a loving, kind and generous person,” Aaron’s mother, Debbie, said. “He was the type of man who would give the shirt off his back to help someone else and he continued to give in death.”
Aaron had registered as an eye, organ and tissue donor at his local Department of Motor Vehicles office and carried a donor symbol on his license. After a motor vehicle accident claimed his life, Aaron was able to give the gift of sight through eye donation.
“I did not know he was a donor, but he was always helping others.” Debbie added Aaron knew she and his dad were registered organ donors.
Aaron was an avid outdoorsman who loved being on the water.
“Aaron being able to help others is what has helped me,” said Debbie. She and her family find comfort in Aaron’s legacy living on through the gift of sight. Through Saving Sight’s correspondence program, Debbie chose to write to Aaron’s cornea recipient because she wanted them to know what kind of person he was.
“The woman who received his corneas – it couldn’t have went to a better person,” said Debbie. From correspondence, Debbie learned the recipient of one of Aaron’s corneas needed her vision restored to continue caring for her son who had special needs. “I was really glad to hear from her. When I finally got the letter, it was right around Aaron’s birthday.”
Debbie encourages others to join the registry, like her son Aaron. “I think it’s one of the greatest things anyone can do,” said Debbie. “When we leave this world, we don’t need this body anymore so why not donate to help others; it’s just a blessing.”
You too can join the millions of Americans like Aaron who signed up for the donor registry by registering at DonateLifeAmerica or at your local Department of Motor Vehicles office. And be sure to share your decision to be an eye, organ and tissue donor with your family and friends.
Over the years, Carol from Sunrise Beach, MO has generously volunteered several times to share her experience as the mother of a donor. She tells a powerful story about her son Mark who became a cornea donor in 2010. Her son’s heroic decision to donate impacted the lives of two cornea recipients as well as Carol and the rest of Mark’s family. Carol tells of the therapeutic effects of knowing her son has helped others, including how she has corresponded with the recipients. She encourages others to consider donation and correspondence because it changes lives for the better.
Carol most recently spoke at the June 2014 Saving Sight Board of Directors meeting and Lions L.E.A.D. event, so we thought it appropriate to re-share the web article from 2011 so she and Mark can continue to have a positive impact on others.
When someone loses a loved one, it’s difficult to find the good in such a heartbreaking situation. However, for many families, eye, organ, and tissue donation has given them a sense of hope. And when those families hear from their loved one’s recipients, it’s particularly rewarding.
In 2010, Carol lost her 30-year-old son, Mark. Unbeknownst to the family, Mark had made the pledge to become an eye donor through Missouri’s first-person consent registry – a choice that didn’t surprise Carol.
“Mark was absolutely the most loving person that we know in our family,” she said. “He cared very much about his family – about everybody. He didn’t know a stranger. Mark was never judgmental, gave everybody a fair chance, and always tried to help the underdog.”
As Carol and her family moved through the grieving process, they received a letter from Saving Sight informing them that Mark’s corneas had been provided to two recipients in California. Carol wrote the recipients, introducing them to her son, and soon received letters back from both individuals. One recipient in particular struck a chord with Carol, and the two began corresponding frequently.
“I can’t say enough about how his words have helped me,” said Carol. “This man just amazes me. Even in his last letter, he said, ‘Mark and I had our stitches removed and the good doctor says our vision continues to improve. We are a good fit. There was a moment or two I did feel Mark was there.’ He couldn’t have said anything better to me.”
The recipient/donor family correspondence has not only helped in the healing process for Mark’s direct family, but for his church family as well. Carol has read letters from Mark’s cornea recipient to fellow church members, helping them to find hope in desperate situations and encouraging them to follow Mark’s lead by pledging to become eye, organ, and tissue donors through Missouri’s donor registry.
For Carol, Saving Sight’s correspondence program has made a difference for her family, and therefore, she urges donor families and recipients alike to consider writing their own letters.
“I know Mark is living through this gentleman. I feel he has Mark in the palm of his hand like another grandpa, and it gives me such a comforting feeling. This man was so generous in his thoughts and words back to my family.”
To learn more about writing your donor family or your loved one’s recipient, please read our Correspondence page or contact Saving Sight at 800-753-2265.
If you are a cornea transplant recipient or donor family and would like to share your experience like Carol has, please send us a note through our Contact page.
To join the millions of Americans like Mark who signed up for the donor registry, register onlineat DonateLifeAmerica or at your local Department of Motor Vehicles office. And be sure to share your decision with your family and friends.
Janice and her brother, Jay, had no doubt that Jerry wanted to be a donor when he died, which made the decision simple and peaceful.
In February of 1990, Jerry received a kidney transplant that saved his life. When he received the kidney, Jerry was told he had seven more years to live. Thankfully, his doctors were wrong — he lived 23 more years to age 64. Jerry became a major supporter of donation in the extra years the transplant afforded him, and when he passed away on October 7, 2013, he became a donor himself.
“He wanted to pass on to help others,” said his daughter, Janice. She and her brother, Jay, had no doubt that he wanted to be a donor when he died, which made the decision simple and peaceful. “It’s really helped our family. Knowing that he’s helping other people and that he wanted to do that and his body was able to be used, that helps us. We like knowing we carried out his wishes.”
Janice described Jerry as a friendly man who didn’t know a stranger. He enjoyed fishing, helping Randy cut hay in the hay field, and spending time with his family and friends. The diabetes affected his sight, but when he could see well, he enjoyed reading, too. He also used his new lease on life to participate in donor awareness programs. “He went to Jefferson City at one point to plant a tree at the governor’s mansion as part of an awareness program,” Janice remembered.
When Jerry retired after 30+ years at MFA Feed, he was able to watch Janice’s three children so she and her husband could both work full-time. Now Janice works at Salem Christian Church’s daycare, enabling her to continue working and be with her children while her husband is away for his railroad job. But before this career change, she worked as an EMT, an Emergency Room Technician, and a Certified Nurse’s Assistant. “Since Dad was in the hospital from the time I was four years old, healthcare is all I’ve ever known,” she said. “I wanted to help others. As an EMT, there was a rush because you didn’t know what was going to be there when you got the call.”
The excitement of EMT work didn’t prepare her to receive a letter from one of Jerry’s tissue recipients. Jerry donated his corneas, one of which helped a woman who was going blind from Fuchs’ dystrophy. The thank you letter she wrote to Janice made an impact. “I had to have my husband read the letter to me,” she said. “But then I’ve been taking it around and showing it to my friends and family.” Janice plans to respond to the cornea recipient’s letter, to share what it’s meant to her and her family that Jerry helped someone through donation. “I knew [Saving Sight] would let us know if he was eligible to donate corneas, but I didn’t know we’d find out if somebody got them,” she said. “Knowing a specific person could get use from his cornea, that he’s actually helping someone, that’s comforting to all of us.”
Jerry’s heroic decision to be a donor continues to be meaningful to his family. “We all still wear the green Donate Life bracelets,” Janice said. “We all registered and got our licenses changed. Even his grandchildren know that some of his body parts helped other people and they think that’s awesome.”
To join Janice, her family, and millions of Americans like Jerry who signed up for the donor registry, register online at DonateLifeAmerica or at your local Department of Motor Vehicles office. And be sure to share your decision with your family and friends.
Over the years, Carol from Sunrise Beach, MO has generously volunteered several times to share her experience as the mother of a donor. She tells a powerful story about her son Mark who became a cornea donor in 2010. Her son’s heroic decision to donate impacted the lives of two cornea recipients as well as Carol and the rest of Mark’s family. Carol tells of the therapeutic effects of knowing her son has helped others, including how she has corresponded with the recipients. She encourages others to consider donation and correspondence because it changes lives for the better.
