Recipients’ Stories

For every donor’s gift, as many as 50 lives may be affected. MTF collects the stories of those who benefit from the courage of donor families, and the reassuring messages of shared life that they offer. The stories on this page represent just a few of the hundreds of thousands of lives that have been changed as the result of tissue donation.

Jacob’s belated holiday gift will last a lifetime.

A few months after the Christmas that Jacob Seyle was 11, he got an unexpected and most precious gift: his right arm. Jacob received a tissue transplant that enabled him to keep his right arm rather than have it amputated.

Jacob was fortunate to be a candidate for this procedure, unlike the young boy he met whose cancer in his lower leg resulted in amputation. Jacob’s mother Deborah Seyle knows the procedure has saved her and her son from the added pain and grief of amputating his right arm. "Even though I trained in the sciences as a biologist, I was unfamiliar with the benefits of tissue donation or transplantation," said Deborah. "We are now big proponents of organ and tissue donation. Jacob thinks it’s very special that he got a donated gift."

"I know I will learn a lot from this and someday will be able to help other people, especially kids, who have to deal with hard things," said Jacob. "I’ve already been able to help a few and it felt great."

When police officer Mike Blood was shot repeatedly at close range by a bank robber and left for dead, he required 19 operations, 120 units of blood, and the gift of donated bone to fill a six-inch hole in his leg.  Instead of being disabled for life, Mike, now retired, walks well enough to play 36 holes of golf and catch hundred pound halibut in Alaska.

“The transplant means a lot to me.  I’m moved that someone would make that sacrifice for me.  When you become a tissue donor, you never know who you are going to help.  Also, you never know if you’ll need tissue one day,” said Mike.

When Paula Van Riper decided to be an organ and tissue donor several years ago, the thought never crossed her mind that some day she might need a tissue transplant.  In 1999, Paula was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and required surgery.  Because of a fairly large tumor in her femur, her hip was replaced with a titanium one.  Donated bone was also implanted in her right leg so that it would be the same length as her left leg. 

Paula, Dean of Academic Services for Livingston College, a liberal arts college within Rutgers University, has resumed a full and active life that includes biking and working out at the gym. "My tissue transplant was instrumental in my healing and my ability to function normally. Within days I was walking and within months back on my bike."

Pressing for Donation: Rich’s Story

Recipient Rich Pietroski at the bench press lifting 240 lbs.

Athletics have always played a major role in Rich Pietroski’s life.  Recurrent shoulder injuries as an adult led to the need for shoulder surgery.  Rich discussed the option of using donated tissue with his surgeon.  Fortunately, he already knew about the health-restorative benefits of tissue through his work at Gift of Life Michigan.

Rich slowly rebuilt his strength and in the process improved other health habits too.  “I can bench press 300 pounds 10 times,” said Rich.  “I couldn’t do any of this without someone having donated tissue at the time of their death.  I am so grateful.”  Because of his gratitude, Rich presses on as an advocate for donation. 

On June 24, 2006, when he was 16, Richard Pawling and his sister were riding their All Terrain Vehicles (ATV). Suddenly, they collided. “I don’t even remember what happened. All I know is that somehow we crashed, and my gas tank exploded,” said Richard.

Although his sister was also burned, she did not need skin grafts. Richard was burned over approximately 65% of his body with third degree burns. He was in the Kansas University Medical Center Burn Unit for 95 days, and required 26 different surgeries. He also required skin grafts to heal. His doctors at the KU Med Center explained the importance of his skin grafts. “Very early in my healing process I received donated skin. My doctor told me what it was and where it came from. I’m very grateful for it.”

Today, Richard is a high school senior, and well on his way to recovery. “I’ve learned from this ordeal. Donation is a very good thing, and tissue is very much needed for patients like me.”