Yesterday was a great day! I am dedicating this post to my double lung transplant donor’s family.

There was a voicemail on my phone yesterday morning from LifeSource. When I returned Jill’s call, I was crying on the phone because she told me they received a letter from my donor’s mom and it was waiting for me at their office. It did not take me long before I was in the car to pick it up. After some joyous conversation with some of my LifeSource family, I headed out the door with my letter in hand.

I wanted to open it right then and there to see what was inside, but more so, I wanted to wait until Travis came home from work to share the special moment with him. I wanted to sit on the deck during the beautiful fall afternoon and read the words on the paper together. When I opened the envelope, I wanted the man I love next to me.

I spent the afternoon on cloud nine with a permanent grin on my face. All of a sudden I would stop, look around and take a deep breath. I have received the greatest gift of all, and now I was about to learn a few things about the person that bestowed this gift upon me. I was taking advantage of the day to appreciate everything, all the big things, and all the little things. I was appreciating life to the fullest.

After Travis arrived home, we sat on the stairs looking at the sunset and read the letter together. I could not have imagined it any other way. We cried, we held each other, we took it all in. We read it again. I know I will read this letter often and cherish it forever.

The tears of happiness and sorrow had dried a little so we took Honey for a walk. It gave us a chance to reflect on what was just in front of us. Following our walk, I had told my mom I would come over with the letter so she, my dad, and my brother could read it in person. Afterwards we headed to Dana’s to allow her and Lauren to read it as well. I wanted to share it with all my family but since they are the only ones within driving distance they had the advantage.

I am ecstatic that my donor’s mother responded to the letters I have sent. I now know a little about the nice young man that has given me my gift. I learned a little about my donor, Jacob. I learned Jacob was a loving son, brother, and uncle. Jacob loved to play baseball, loved to make people laugh, and nothing was more important to him than his friends and family.

In the letters I had written to my donor family, I had talked about how I honor my donor by sharing my story. I explained how I speak to driver’s education classes about the importance of donation, transplantation, and becoming a registered donor by checking the box on your driver’s license. Jacob’s mother shared with me that he skipped down the hall to get his license and “he was truly happy with his decision”. I am forever grateful for the choice he made.

I am so happy to have heard from Jacob’s mom. I know how rare it is for recipients and donor families to connect. I can only imagine how incredibly difficult it must have been for his mother to pick up the pen and write the sweet words about her son that is no longer with her. My heart goes out to a mother that has said goodbye to her son and to his friends and family that miss him daily. I am very thankful she responded. She also wrote “I just really thought you should know what an important, amazing person you are carrying around with you”.

I am proud and honored to be the girl to keep Jacob’s legacy living on.