Our Stories
Honoring the gift of sight.
Every cornea donation reflects generosity, hope, and healing. We are grateful to donor families who give this gift during moments of loss, and to recipients who share how their transplant has changed their lives.
Donor Families and Recipients
Danny Rivers’ life has been rooted in his faith. He grew up in a church he loved and continued to…
Danny Rivers’ life has been rooted in his faith. He grew up in a church he loved and continued to pursue his own spiritual journey throughout his life. His faith was tested, however, in 1994, when Danny was diagnosed with keratoconus during a routine eye doctor visit. He was only 18. Keratoconus is an eye […]
From the moment you meet Nikara McNeely, you are struck by her beautiful smile and personable spirit. A wife and…
From the moment you meet Nikara McNeely, you are struck by her beautiful smile and personable spirit. A wife and mother of two, Nikara also has a career she is deservedly proud of. She works for the Department of Homeland Security as a Legal Administrative Specialist after spending more than a decade with the Drug […]
Emily Beyea was only 10 years old when she passed away. However, during her 10 years of life, Emily managed…
Emily Beyea was only 10 years old when she passed away. However, during her 10 years of life, Emily managed to spread a lifetime of love, caring, joy and silliness throughout her world. “She was a sassy, outspoken, beautiful activist, who saw the world as it should be… and saw the best in people,” says […]
“It is such a gift to be able to see,” says corneal transplant recipient Kiki Karatheodoris, an artist from Tuscaloosa….
“It is such a gift to be able to see,” says corneal transplant recipient Kiki Karatheodoris, an artist from Tuscaloosa. A genetic condition caused Kiki’s vision to decline, making even simple tasks more challenging. Kiki is an artist who struggled to continue doing what she loved as her vision continued to fail. Kiki’s eyesight was […]
My name is Lynn Neillie and I have 20/20 eyesight–as a 68 year old! But prior to 2017, that was…
My name is Lynn Neillie and I have 20/20 eyesight–as a 68 year old! But prior to 2017, that was not my situation. I had Fuch’s dystrophy, a condition that would eventually cause diminishing (think grey, foggy) then zero eyesight—without a cornea transplant. Thankfully, I have had two wonderful doctors who knew the diagnosis of […]
Sam was the oldest of our three boys. He was always the quiet one. He would have his head in…
Sam was the oldest of our three boys. He was always the quiet one. He would have his head in a book or two, reading all the time. A good fantasy story or a Star Wars game was never too good not to introduce to his brothers. He valued three things above all: His family, […]
Share Your Story
By sharing these experiences, donor families and recipients help raise awareness about the impact of eye donation and the lives transformed through compassionate generositity
