During April/National Donate Life Month, Life Connection of Ohio partnered with WTOL 11 for the 15th annual Donate Life Sit-in. During this 24-hour event, transplant recipients, donor family members, and supporters took a seat to take a stand on the importance of organ donation in Life Connection of Ohio’s Green Chair. The tagline of the Green Chair campaign is “Don’t let another chair go empty”—encouraging more people to register as organ donors means there will be fewer empty chairs, as 16 people die every day waiting for their second chance at life. So, for a full day, the Green Chair lived out its tagline.
Two of the many stories shared from the Green Chair were told by Tonya Gomez, a grateful double lung transplant recipient, and Sarah Rupp, proud wife of donor hero TeeJay.
Tonya once feared her chair would go empty. Cystic fibrosis meant she could not laugh without getting a coughing spell. She had to endure daily aerosol and postural drainage treatments to help loosen lung secretion. She could not eat without taking enzymes before every meal. Normal, everyday activities became impossible because of her exhaustion.
Getting through the workday was a struggle. Some mornings, Tonya physically could not get out of bed. If she mustered the strength to get to work, she fought her body’s urge to fall asleep. She knew it was bad, but she “didn’t want to come to terms with it,” Tonya said.
On December 18, 2003, she was put on the waiting list for a double lung transplant, and doctors estimated her wait would be approximately two years. Tonya could not imagine two more years of wearing oxygen 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Of fighting her exhaustion to stay awake in church. Of working up the energy to take a shower and battling the urge to sleep afterward. Of not being active with her two-yearold son. Of reading countless stories online about people who died waiting for transplants. Of not being able to sleep at night because she was afraid she would not wake up in the morning. Of trying to live on 19% lung function.
“The call” came five months and one week after Tonya was put on the waiting list. On May 25, 2004, Tonya received a life-saving double lung transplant. “I don’t think I realized how sick I really was until I took my first breath after my transplant. It was an amazing feeling to be able to breathe,” Tonya said.
Tonya returned home with energy she had never experienced in her 31 years. She could play with her son without fear that he would take off running and she would not be able to catch him. She held her breath much longer than the two measly seconds she could before her transplant. She laughed at the air compressor— without coughing—as she blew up a whole inflatable pool by herself.
Tonya is grateful for her donor hero, Adam. “I’m honoring Adam by taking care of the lungs I’ve been given. I received this gift, and I feel compelled to share it with everybody,” Tonya said.
The past 21 years of Tonya’s life would not have been possible without the incredible generosity of someone like TeeJay Rupp.
TeeJay embodied infectious joy, a boisterous laugh, and the innate ability to make a connection with anyone, and he was all about family. His incredible caring, compassionate nature was felt every day by those he loved, including his wife, Sarah, and their son, Brantley. Sarah enjoyed when TeeJay would leave scavenger hunts for her, bought her flowers just because, packed her lunch every day, and always made her feel special, loved, and safe.
TeeJay’s work ethic was unmatched, and he was dedicated to ensuring his family had everything they ever wanted. From a young age, TeeJay knew he wanted to be an Athletic Director, and he did just that at Evergreen Schools, where he spent countless hours scheduling events, coordinating new scoreboards and play clocks, and upgrading athletic equipment—all because he was passionate about creating the best possible environment for athletes, parents, coaches, and the community as a whole.
Tragically, 30-year-old TeeJay passed away when his vehicle was struck eight years ago. At the time, Sarah was pregnant with their son, Henry, who would be born six weeks later. TeeJay was a registered organ donor, and Sarah honored his decision. TeeJay’s final lesson in love was saving five lives through organ donation, leaving an incredible legacy. “His legacy lives on through his kids, through the people who loved him, and through the people he impacted. He was able to impact five people with organ donation. I knew he was amazing when he was alive, and look what he’s doing now,” Sarah said.
Life Connection of Ohio is the non-profit organization that serves families and saves lives through organ donation in northwest and west central Ohio. To learn more about organ donation or to say “yes” to saving lives, visit lifeconnection. org. Kara Steele is Director of Community Services for Life Connection of Ohio.
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