Mike Nelson

Type of Donation:             Tissue and cornea donor

Age and Location:             Age 47 – Polk City, IA

Donation Date:                  September 6, 2016

Sponsor:                               Honored by Iowa Donor Network

MIKE’S STORY

Mike Nelson was a kind and loving man who always put others first, every day of his life.  In Mike’s short, but mighty 47 years, he lived life to the fullest and loved his family with his whole heart.  He worked for Iowa Donor Network and knew the importance of his job and what it meant to so many families. It was his passion to bring comfort to people facing the unknown surrounding a tragedy. Mike did everything he could to bring awareness to organ, tissue and eye donation.

When Mike passed away and it was time for his family to make the unimaginable decision for Mike to be a donor, there was no question or hesitation because we knew exactly what he wanted to do.  Mike donated tissues and corneas to enhance the lives of others. The many people who received his donations can truly say they’ve been touched by an angel!  His recipients range in age from a baby under the age of one to a 74-year-old.  We think it’s so amazing that Mike is part of these extended families and we hope their lives have been touched in a way that means just as much to them, as what Mike meant to us.

Mike was never without a smile on his face and he never hesitated to offer a kind word or gesture to make someone’s day.   Everyone in his path viewed him as a close friend because he made them feel special. He was a champion at the small things and doing them without wanting praise or attention.  A servant’s heart is how he lived, and we strive to continue his legacy each and every day, so his passion lives on.