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Photo of John, cornea recipient
John
Cornea Recipient

John was a 20-year-old Army medic in 1968 when a lab explosion plunged him into a world of darkness. After 10 days in intensive care and several months in hospitals and rehabilitation, he was told there was no hope of ever seeing again.

John mowed the lawn, hammered nails for their home and farm buildings, and cut a winter's supply of firewood every year. John said, “I made my way through life as a blind person for 30 years, 11 months and seven days. For all those years my only wish was to see my family before I died.”

Finally, in 1999, after a corneal transplant surgery that his doctors called miraculous, the world of sight opened to him.

John and his wife, Anita are both members of Lions International. John is also a volunteer for Oregon Donor Program and a spokesperson for the Coalition on Donation. He recounts his story in his book “Never Give Up: A Veteran’s Journey to Sight and Hearing.” A portion of the sale of each book goes to the Oregon Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation through which he received a donated cornea.

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