Bobby Tinnell, Liver Transplant Recipient and Tissue Donor

After Bobby Tinnell was born, the mold was broken!  I have never ever met such a wonderful, loving, caring, patient, genuine man in my entire life.

Bobby was a hard worker his entire life and was never sick until the year 2000.  He suddenly became ill and was told he had Primary Schlerosing Cholangitis and would need a liver transplant.  We were both shocked as we had signed up to be organ donors never thinking that one of us may need a transplant. Bobby received his life-saving transplant on February 4th, 2004 and we were eternally grateful to his donor and their family.  The surgeons told us he would not have made it much longer.  That is often the hardest part for those waiting. The question of will they get their gift in time?

Because of Bobby’s donor he was able to celebrate our four kids’ graduations, weddings, and the birth of grandchildren. We are eternally grateful for the seven years he was given.

When Bobby passed away unexpectedly on September 3rd, 2011, we immediately made the medical staff aware that he was registered as a donor and he was deemed able to donate tissue.  Bobby wanted to give the gift of life as his donor had for him.  With the thousands of people on the waiting list praying for a miracle, it was an easy decision for our family to honor Bobby’s wishes and give the gift of life. As they say, you can’t take your organs and tissues to heaven; heaven knows we need them here.

Thank you to our “family” at LifeCenter & University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

-Mary James-Tinnell

Wife of Bobby Tinnell, Liver Transplant Recipient and Tissue Donor