When Matt Carlson’s life was cut short after a medical emergency, his wife, Heather, was devastated. “I wanted God to show me why – give me some purpose,” she said. Then she remembered a hometown friend who was in need of a kidney transplant. She asked the hospital to consider a directed donation, and against all odds, Matt turned out to be a match.

Brittany Hoover was a kind, adventurous woman who loved giving to others. She rescued stray cats and coached youth sports as a way of paying forward all that she had received. When Brittany tragically died of cardiac arrest at 32, her family learned that she was a registered organ donor – a surprise, but not a shock, given Brittany’s nature. As a result of her generous decision, several lives have been saved through organ transplants, and two people have regained their eyesight.