Ryan was the most upbeat, fun loving, active, intelligent, young man I ever knew. He knew exactly what he wanted out of life and was determined to make all of his dreams come true. At the beginning of the 2009 school semester, Ryan left for Ferris State University as a freshman majoring in HVAC. He […]

On April 8, 2009 at 7:45 am my daughter Alexis was at school there were some kids playing with balls and a 15 year old threw a basketball at her it hit her in the head. I thought she was ok but at about 300pm she started getting a real bad head ache. What I

As an adult, Mark’s life was saved because someone gave a hero’s gift, the gift of life. Today, Mark honors his liver donor by keeping fit with a daily run. In 1998 Mark went into the hospital for what he thought would be routine surgery to remove his gallbladder. During that operation his doctor discovered

A heroic gift from a stranger allowed Gina, a 17 year old cornea recipient, to stay in the game. Playing basketball has always been a dream of Gina’s, but dreams can quickly turn. During a basketball game in her freshman year, she was accidentally poked in the eye, which developed into an ulcerated cornea, an

Just four months back from their honey moon, Jacquelin Clark couldn’t believe what she heard: Doug, her 29-year old husband, had been tragically killed in a snowmobile accident. “He was taken to Newberry Hospital, which is when Gift of Life called me. I wasn’t with Doug when the accident happened. I was unprepared when they

There is always something sensational cooking in Chef O.’s kitchen. He fulfills his mother’s wisdom to always do his best and honors his donor by living a full and productive life. It’s been more than 22 years since Oliver, better known as Chef O., received a kidney transplant. “I con sider that date my birthday.

Andrea has become captivated in the world of photography, recording the special moments in the lives of others. Her passion was inspired by the gifts of a kidney donation from her mother and a pancreas, which came from a stranger. Many people have no idea how devastating diabetes can be, but Andrea knows. She not

Ben Hayes was 28 and dying of a rare lung disease. Just when he didn’t think he’d wake to see tomorrow, an Ohio accident victim saved his life. Click here to sign up. A double-lung transplant almost didn’t come in time for Ben Hayes. His ordeal began in 2003 when the young mechanic for Spirit

Lynn Parker found that donating her son’s organs helped her family cope with intense grief. Click here to sign up. At 18, with a new diploma from Troy Athens High School, Tim Parker had his whole life ahead of him. Instead, he gave life to seven others. The designated driver fell asleep while taking two

Sherry Johnson needed a new heart to live. More than three years after her transplant, she’s doing just that, thanks to her hero. Click here to sign up. Sherry Johnson was a 36-year-old Farmington Hills mom when her failing heart left her exhausted, weak and nearly at the end. She could no longer walk her

Dr. Sam Allen, who lost his good friend to kidney disease, is committed to helping others get the transplants they desperately need. Click here to sign up. As a student in medical school, Sam Allen could only watch and hope for healing as his good friend and suitemate struggled with serious kidney disease. His friend