Jackie Zachmeyer ruminated on each word she penned in the letter. How does one define herself to people she’s never met? A sister. A daughter. An aunt. A wife. A godmother. A wish granter for children with medical needs. Jackie's note of gratitude to her donor family answered many questions. But the one question she couldn’t quite answer after her heart-lung transplant is why. As in, why was she still here?

Jonathan first got into tinkering with cars with his dad, Lynn. The first car Jonathan fell in love with was a 1964 ½ Ford Mustang they restored together. Predating the first official 1965 model, it was a prototype that was rushed to market after its successful debut as the 1964 Indianapolis 500 pace car. That car led to several others, including one that almost killed Jonathan and led him to seek care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic is also why the White family was at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale in the first place.

"Mayo has given me the gift of extending my life. I am grateful that I can give back and know that in some way I am helping to make a difference.” Julie Crandall

Emergency departments can be chaotic. Nurses and doctors moving quickly to meet patient needs, the wheels of gurneys rolling along hard floors, and monitoring equipment beeping to draw the attention of care providers. It was there that Fatima Islam discovered something was missing from her career.

Dick Buell’s goal is simple and selfless: “To help as many people as I can.”

Dawn Botsford was sitting in a chair at the hair salon in the fall of 2011 when her hairdresser commented on a spot on the top of her head. It was bug season in North Dakota, so Dawn didn’t think much of it. “When I told my hairdresser that, she said, ‘I really think you need to get it checked out.’ She saved my life,” Dawn recalls.

“Mayo Clinic is a special place — it’s the cohesiveness, competency and compassion shown by the doctors and staff and the immediate follow-up. The level of care is just so different, and it’s a pleasure to be on campus. All in all, it’s just such a fantastic organization. We believe in giving back, and it gives us such joy to give to Mayo.”