ConnectLife Blog

After Beth’s passing, her gifts continued to give through eye and tissue donation. She was a Christian woman, with a big heart that will continue to give long past her time on earth. Her family continues to be proud of her and honor her impact here each day.

Story as told by Kenzie's mom Kenzie loved to make people laugh and cheer them up when they were down by telling jokes or acting silly. She also loved to help people, spend time with her friends and family, have slumber parties, and she especially loved all animals, including horses. She was well known for her love for the country artist, Luke Bryan. She loved beating me at backgammon, and she was getting pretty good at it, too! Kenzie loved being an aunt to her niece Maci. K

My dad was Superman. He was incredibly smart and outgoing. He was the type of guy that was just really supportive. If you had a dream, he always was the first one to back you up and support you or help you out with whatever you needed.

He was able to donate corneas, tissue and bone, heart and lungs, kidneys, split liver, and pancreas. I was told his heart and lungs were donated to the same person. It is all very overwhelming to me. I hope to someday meet the recipients and be able to hopefully hear his heartbeat again. I hope his story helps inspire others to become donors. It gives me and my family some comfort knowing a part of him lives on out there somewhere, that someone was given a second chance at li

Please remember to hug your loved ones as often as possible. I honor his memory by each year going to our favorite trail we would go walk at and say a prayer on the day he passed. I tell my daughter about her papa in heaven all the time and tell her stories about him. I will never forget him and the memories he gave me.

We were talking about organ donation and he mentioned to me that he wanted to be a donor. He asked me if I was and I told him yes, he then asked me how he could become one. I told him he could let the DMV know and they would put a heart symbol on his driver’s license. He took his license out of his wallet and was happy he had already let them know because he had the heart symbol. He said he wanted to help as many people as he could if he passed away.

Judy Hooper lived a life full of love! She was the type of person that had so much love to share and was always the heart and soul of her family. Her family remembers her for being the most giving and generous throughout her life; and even after as Judy was an eye and tissue donor.

Story as told by her daughter, Elaine My mother was an incredible woman! She raised four wonderful children, while also going back to school in her 30s. She was one of the most hardworking people; she worked tirelessly (20 hours a day 7 days a week!!) for what she believed in. She worked for the city of North Tonawanda's Recreation Department, and she ran all of the year-round programs for developmentally disabled children and adults. She gave them hope. She gave them love. S

Corinne Dulak was a devoted mother, sister, aunt and friend. Corinne was loved by every person she met. She fiercely loved her family and her friends, especially her son, Tom. Corinne was and still is her sister Lialan’s best friend; Lialan says that she talks to Corinne all the time and will continue to do so forever.

Upon her passing, Melissa Mercer became an organ, eye and tissue donor with Unyts. Melissa was an avid animal lover, loved nature and always stepped up to lend a hand to anyone in need. She was loved by anyone who ever met her. She had a unique sense of humor and always made people laugh. Following her donation, Melissa’s husband has become involved with Unyts and spreading the donate life mission. He recently had a memorial blood drive with Unyts in Melissa’s honor, and supp

As told by his mom Kathy Mike was a good man with a big heart for others, and he would help anyone anytime that he could. One of Mike's favorite pastimes was to ride his motorcycle and make new friends. When he met a fellow rider, he or she became a brother or sister, and a friend for life. Mike loved everyone he rode with. He also had a furry companion, his beloved dog Gordo, who was his sidekick for many years. Mike’s journey into donation began when he was just a young tee

Gloria DelValle-Rivera of Buffalo became a cornea donor upon her passing in October 2016. She is remembered as a beautiful soul taken too soon. “She was a wife, a best friend, a mother, a sister and an excellent grandmother,” recalled Gloria’s daughter Audelis. “She loved to sew and make beautiful things, she loved frogs and had a smile to brighten up the room.” Gloria’s legacy has continued beyond her death. “Her life will never be in vain, no matter if the days breeze by s

Donna Lee Gold of Buffalo became an organ donor upon her passing on June 21, 2011. She is remembered as a devoted mother and a giving person. The daughter of Donald Gold and Geraldine Wilder, Donna was born and raised in Western New York. She attended Black Rock Academy and later graduated from Riverside High School. She went to school to be a beautician. Donna enjoyed shopping, drinking Diet Pepsi and collecting M&M memorabilia. She loved to sing, especially country music, b

William L. Ellis of North Tonawanda became an eye donor upon his passing on June 26, 2017. Known to friends as Bill, he was married to his wife Sharon for nearly 30 years. Bill’s daughter Amanda Borellis mentioned that he loved music and spending time in nature. “His love of the outdoors likely started when he was a Boy Scout as a child,” she said. “He enjoyed camping, hunting and fishing, hiking ­– his favorite place was Yosemite National Park.” His musical tastes were ecl

Peter Betz of Rome, NY became an eye and tissue donor upon his passing in September 2016. “Peter was a loving man, he gave all to his friends and family,” recalled his wife Irene. “He loved his motorcycle and helping me with our huge garden and vegetable stand. He always helped people.” Known to many friends as “Dickie,” he was a US Air Force veteran and a member of the American Legion. “At the wake, everyone said how he helped them when their loved ones passed,” said Irene.

We knew that Justin would want to be an organ donor. During his life, he was always trying to help others and now in his death he was giving the gift that would save lives. We know that his big caring heart is beating in another man, his lungs, liver and kidneys were able to go to some very special people. There are two people that are seeing the world through his eyes. These people are in our prayers every day.

Justin Sweeney became an organ, eye and tissue donor after his passing on March 8, 2016. His mother Kelly shared this remembrance: The greatest gifts anyone can receive are the gifts of life and love. On August 8, 2008 I was given both of these when my son, Justin Marcus Sweeney, was born. When I held him in my arms for the first time, I looked straight into his eyes and fell in love with him. His blue eyes sang a song of their own, without any words. It was as if you could h

Joseph P. Nicosia of Corfu became an eye and tissue donor upon his passing on December 23, 2015. His family shared this remembrance. Joe loved spending time with his family. He loved when the kids and their friends filled the house – they played games into the evening hours. He was proud of his children and what they had accomplished. He knew all three of them had a bright future ahead of them. Joe was a strong and healthy man. He was born February 25, 1960 to Emmanuel and K

When he passed away on February 20, 2009, Raymond Ott was 78 years old. He became an eye and tissue donor.

Bryan W. McCown of Franklinville became an organ, eye and tissue donor upon his passing on October 31, 2011 at the age of 19.   His family shared this remembrance:   Bryan was born to a large family of eight. Even though he was second youngest in the family he became the biggest and tallest in the family and was known as our “gentle giant.” Bryan never used his size or strength to bully or intimidate, instead he tried to become their “big brother.” He had a heart of gold and