The Circle of Life - My Video...

Scott, over at “I am. Are you?” and Donate Life Illinois, has been producing a series of videos featuring Illinois residents with personal ties to organ donation. I’ve posted most of them here.

This particular video is one that I’m pretty proud of – because it’s about Kari, and about me, and about her gift to me. Scott titled it “Steve’s Organ Donation Story – The Circle of Life”

I get to speak to groups about organ donation, and about Kari. Much of what I said in this video is how I begin every talk… I “introduce” people to Kari – then I try to help them understand what she’s done for me. Much of it is on my little website. It means a lot to me that Scott and Donate Life Illinois have put this in a format that will last a long, long time... Longer than me... It’s important to me that I’m still telling people about Kari long after I’m not me anymore.

At around the 1:30 mark – I’m holding a piece of art called a “lithopane.”  I met a family like Kari's family – an incredible family who lost their precious son and brother, Chase – I wrote about them in a post titled, “Swim, Bike, Run, Chase…” Chase’s Dad, Buck, made that lithopane of Kari for me. He also surprised me with one for Kari’s Mom & Dad too… It’s something I’ll treasure for the rest of my life – and I know they will too.

I’ve led a pretty charmed life so far… Sure, there have been highs and lows. And some of the lows have been scary… But the highs have been beyond explanation – falling in love with Laura, having my life saved, learning about Kari and meeting her family and friends, even opening up a package from a guy named Buck with gifts, not only for me, but for Kari’s Mom & Dad… I’ve met so many people involved in helping give others life…

I hope I honor Kari with this little video – in my heart, I honor her with every breath.

This is what organ donation does for others. I hope you live a long, fruitful, happy life – and when you’re done – be someone’s hero.