Heart of a Hero – Arnold’s Song

In April 2013, Saving Sight shared a story about Arnold, a happy-go-lucky man who donated his corneas to give the gift of sight to others. Arnold was a long-haul truck driver from Maine who passed away while in Springfield, Illinois for work, and his wife, Marie, supported his decision to become a donor, even though she was hundreds of miles away. “Following through with his wish to be a donor was never a hesitation in my shock and grief,” she said.

After the donation, Marie corresponded with one of the recipients of Arnold’s corneal tissue and learned a lot from the experience. She had this to share: “[Donation] isn’t just something you do – it’s life-changing for the recipients and the people who are left behind. Science gives us the technology to make these gifts happen, but without people giving so unselfishly, we could not bring about the life-changing results I have witnessed firsthand.”

Recently, Vince Dixon, a family friend of Marie, was touched by the stories of Arnold and other donors. And he decided to honor them and draw attention to the importance of donation by writing an original song, “Heart of a Hero,” which he then posted as a video to YouTube. Arnold is prominently featured in the video, starting at one minute and thirty seconds and at the end. Watch and listen to “Heart of a Hero” below to see the lasting impact Arnold has had as a donor.