In the spirit of National Donate Life Month—a time dedicated to honoring those who give the gift of life and inspiring others to do the same—comes a story that beautifully weaves together loss, friendship, and the power of generosity.
Anjie Lynchard had this to say “Fifteen years ago, I moved across the street from Mary Ann Carroll in Columbia, Maryland. Our sons, Jared and Phillip, quickly became inseparable, their days filled with biking, fishing, and the kind of childhood adventures that forge lifelong bonds. But as life often does, it led us down different paths. After just three years, we moved away, and our families drifted apart, keeping in touch only occasionally through social media.
Years passed. Jared grew up and joined the Marines, while Phillip built his own future. Then, just a year ago, my world was shattered—Jared, my son, died suddenly at 23. In the midst of my grief, Mary Ann appeared at my door, offering condolences and a prayer shawl. I noticed she seemed changed, and when I asked, she shared her struggle with end-stage liver disease—a battle that had lasted three years and left her in desperate need of a transplant.
Mary Ann had just been placed on the national transplant list, joining more than 10,000 others waiting for a miracle. After she left, I prayed for her, never imagining that I might be the answer to that prayer. Months later, I saw her Facebook post searching for a living liver donor—her family, heartbreakingly, weren’t suitable matches.
My faith—and the memory of my son—gave me the courage to get tested. When I told Mary Ann, she hesitated, not wanting to add to my pain. But my husband, Steve, reminded me of a message we’d received on a missionary trip after Jared’s passing: “Out of Jared’s death, new life will be born.” That message echoed in my heart and made the decision clear.
When the results came back, I was a match. The transplant was scheduled for December 3, 2024—exactly one year after Jared was moved by a sermon titled “The Perfect Plan.” It felt as though the universe, and perhaps Jared himself, were guiding every step.
The surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital was a success, thanks in part to advanced robotic techniques that made my recovery easier than I’d imagined. I was left with only a few small scars, physical reminders of a much larger healing.
Three months later, Mary Ann is thriving. She often says it feels like divine intervention brought us together again, and I can’t help but agree. Our story is a testament to the ripple effect of kindness: not only did Mary Ann receive a second chance, but my donation also moved someone else up the waiting list—a double gift of life.
This April, as we celebrate National Donate Life Month, I hope our journey inspires others to consider living donation. If you have the chance to save a life, why wouldn’t you? There is no greater gift. Let us honor the memory of those we’ve lost, celebrate the miracles among us, and let life sing for all those still waiting for their second chance”
In all honesty, occurrences of life sometimes cut like a knife, but if only we stick to the path of kindness, love and empathy, we definitely will appreciate the reality that even a broken crayon still has the capacity to make beautiful paintings.