The day before Thanksgiving 2012, volunteer firefighter and operations manager for a tree company Dave Kelble was hit in the head by a falling tree. Sadly, he was given no hope for recovery and his wife, Jackie, made the courageous decision to donate his organs and tissues. Dave was able to donate his heart, liver, both kidneys, bone and tissue to save and improve others’ lives.

“Dave and I talked about organ donation, so that made the decision a little easier at the hospital,” Jackie says. “The fact that Dave was an organ donor has helped me get through the early times and grief. I can’t help but think about the people getting that lifesaving call, probably at a time when they were at a loss of hope.”

Jackie knows that even though Dave is gone, he lives on in others. In 2019, she and Dave’s parents were able to meet his heart recipient and listen to it beat as it kept another person alive. Now, she’s on a mission to spread the word about the importance of organ and tissue donation.

“I want people to know about organ donation and how they can truly impact lives by turning something really hard into something positive,” Jackie says.

Every 10 minutes, someone is added to the organ transplant waiting list.

Approximately 113,000 men, women, and children are waiting for life-saving organ transplants. One organ donor has the power to save up to eight lives and change the outcomes of someone’s world forever by giving them a second chance. Additionally, tissue donation can save and improve the lives of up to 75 people with their gifts. You can make a huge impact by registering as an organ and tissue donor.

Learn more about organ and tissue donation, or register as a donor at https://donatelifewisconsin.org.