Mid-America Transplant

10/19/2026

“My sister lost her life at age 13. I was in kidney failure and received one of her kidneys. Now, 30 years later, I am still doing well.

Five years after my sister’s other kidney was donated, we met the woman who received it and her family. They became a big part of our lives. They are wonderful people who were given another chance at life with their family. They were so grateful and thankful for everything we had done for them.

Organ donation is such a selfless gift that can brighten someone else’s life.”

—Cogar A.

10/19/2026

"On August 3, our world was shattered when our precious 19-year-old son, Matthew, was tragically taken from us in a motorcycle accident. There are no words to describe the pain of losing your child, especially when he is so young and has his entire life ahead of him.

As his mom, I still struggle to comprehend how someone who filled our world with so much love, laughter, and life could be gone in an instant.

Matthew was so much more than the way his life ended. He was an incredible son, a devoted brother, a loving boyfriend, and a young man who meant more to so many people than he could ever have imagined. He had a passion for cars, loved his silver Nissan 370Z, and had a love for music, especially Juice WRLD. He had dreams, plans, and so much life left to live.

His brother, Nicholas, was incredibly close to him, and our family will forever carry the memories, laughter, and love we shared with Matthew. There is an emptiness in our lives that can never be filled, and we would give anything for one more hug, one more conversation, or one more ordinary day with our boy.

But even in the midst of the most unimaginable heartbreak, Matthew left behind a gift that continues to change lives.

Through organ donation, Matthew was able to give others something our family desperately wishes we could have had more of with him: more time. More birthdays. More family dinners. More memories. More opportunities to love the people who mean everything to them.

As his mom, knowing that a part of Matthew lives on through the lives he helped save brings a measure of comfort to a pain that will never completely go away. We cannot bring our son home, but his legacy continues in ways we may never fully know. Somewhere, another family has been given hope. Someone has been given another chance. Someone’s tomorrow became possible because of the gift our son left behind.

That is the extraordinary thing about organ donation. Even when a family’s world comes crashing down, love can reach beyond the unimaginable. A decision to be a donor can give other families the chance to keep making memories with the people they love.

We will spend the rest of our lives missing Matthew, loving him, and finding ways to honor him. We have created Matt’s WRLD in his memory, and we will continue sharing his story and raising awareness about organ donation so that his legacy can reach even more people.

If sharing Matthew’s story encourages even one person to register as an organ donor, start a conversation with their family, or understand the incredible difference donation can make, then something beautiful can continue to come from our greatest tragedy.

Matthew, you were only 19. You deserved so many more years, so many more adventures, and so many more memories. You will forever be our boy, and you will never be forgotten. We are so proud of you, and we hope you know just how deeply you are loved.

To the recipients who received the gift of life through Matthew, and to their families: please know that our love goes with you. We hope you cherish every moment, every milestone, and every ordinary day that is no longer ordinary. Your time is precious, and we hope Matthew’s gift reminds you of just how precious it is.

Our hearts will forever be broken, but Matthew’s story does not end on the day we lost him.

His life continues. His love continues. And his legacy will live on forever.

With all the love in the world."

— Matthew’s mom ❤️

10/18/2026

“As the wife of a heart recipient, I cannot thank organ donors enough for the life we’ve been able to enjoy together because of the gift of organ donation. We are forever grateful.”

—Colleen L.

10/17/2026

"My dad received a heart transplant at 60 and lived to be 78. There are no words to express the gratitude of recipient families. God bless organ donors."

He had struggled with illness since he was 14 due to rheumatic fever. After three heart surgeries and many other complications, he finally got a new heart. The first photo is of my dad about a week before his transplant. The second shows him healthy after the transplant."

—Gail

10/15/2026

"My husband, Rocky, passed away last year. He could make anyone laugh.

He donated everything he could. I have received one letter, and it is so great to read with our 16-year-old son. My son may never know what it's like to have a dad for driving, graduation and first dates, but I hope he holds on to knowing his dad helped many other people.

I thought making the choice to take him off the ventilator would be the hardest part. Little did I know the aftermath of looking into a little boy's eyes would be worse.
I encourage recipients to keep sending letters. As a donor wife and family, it really is the only thing we hold on to that's still alive and helping."

—Jennifer

10/15/2026

For Mid-America Transplant's Amber Carricker, the gift of life is personal.

Her sister received a lifesaving liver transplant nearly 22 years ago, giving her the opportunity to get married, have children and build a career as a pharmacist.

Amber, our director of laboratory services, recently joined KMOX News to discuss the need for organ donors, how the transplant waiting list works and the incredible impact one donor can have.

She also shared the story of 12-year-old Caroline, whose family honored her through organ donation, saving five lives.

Listen to the conversation and learn how you can help save lives by registering as an organ donor at SayYesGiveLife.org.

| 104.1 FM KMOX

10/14/2026

October is Healthy Lung Month! More than 900 adults and children in the U.S. are waiting for the gift of a donor lung and their next full breath. Register your decision to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor, and give hope to those waiting at SayYesGiveLife.org. 💙💚

10/13/2026

“I am a tissue donation recipient. Donor tissue was used to reconstruct my breasts after I underwent a double mastectomy for breast cancer. The tissue donation gave my surgeon options during my reconstruction. My surgery was a success, and I would not have had the outcome I did without donor tissue. I am very grateful for my tissue donor!”

— Nancy

10/12/2026

“My son, Matthew, was an organ donor at age 40 and helped so many people. He became a donor after my daughter, his sister, died at 8 months old following a heart transplant. Matt was 10 when Cassidy died, but her receiving a heart left a lasting impact on him. My other daughter, Callie, became a pediatrician after spending so much time in the hospital with her little sister.”

—Vicki

10/12/2026

"If giving him a piece of my liver meant giving him the chance to grow up, to run, to play, to go to school, to become whomever he was meant to be someday – there was never really a choice. There was only him."

Maxwell was born with biliary atresia, a rare liver disorder that affects newborns. At 12 weeks old, he had a procedure that gave his liver some more time, but it wasn't a cure. Maxwell would eventually need a liver transplant. This past July, his mom, Juliane, became 5-year-old Maxwell's living donor.

Juliane and Justin, Maxwell's dad, share their journey in hopes of raising awareness of living donation and its potential to help other families waiting for a lifesaving gift. 💙💚

Story via Donate Life America