Alfonso Garcia was 15 when sudden fatigue revealed that a genetic disease was destroying his liver. Without a transplant, he would die. His prayers and those of his family were answered when a liver became available. Alfonso's transplant has given him renewed focus on what's important in life. "I was on the edge of dying, and through a miracle, I am alive today," said Alfonso. " It's because of a donor and his gift." Alfonso thanks his donor, 22-year-old George Becker, for making it possible to him to go to college and volunteer with the California Transplant Donor Network. "I think about George every day."

Alfonso's Story

An active and healthy child, Alfonso Garcia always had his eye on following in his brother's footsteps as an amateur boxer and perhaps a military career.

Following a workout in the ring in January 2010, Alfonso quickly fell into a spiral of declining health. Eventually, the whites of his eyes and his skin grew yellow and he became violently ill. "I learned that I had Wilson's disease," revealed Alfonso, "an inherited disorder in which there is too much copper in the body's tissues. The excess copper damages the liver and nervous system. The doctors told me that I had just days to receive a life-saving transplant."

After learning that news, Alfonso leaned over to his still-shaken father, Oscar, and asked that a priest be brought in to administer the last sacraments. It wasn't clear what would happen to the teenager. But in about 24 hours, a young man named George became the answer to the prayers of Alfonso and his family.

At the age of 16, George Becker had signed up to be a donor when he got his driver's license, never anticipating his life would end with a sinus infection when he was just 22. His liver would save Alfonso's life, and the other organs he donated rescued two more people.

Alfonso's new liver has given the 18-year-old a renewed focus on what's important in life. "I was on the edge of dying, and through a miracle, I am alive today. It's because of a donor and his gift. I think about George every day."

Soon after he was well again, Alfonso and his parents joined the California Transplant Donor Network as Donate Life Ambassadors to help spread the word about donation. Alfonso has appeared before California legislators, urging them to include donation education in the high school curriculum. In 2011, Alfonso tossed out the first pitch for the San Francisco Giants' Donate Life Day and very shortly after, met George's family.

Alfonso and George's families have become friends. Connie, George's mom, was on hand as Alfonso moved out to go to college.

"I don't take anything for granted," said Alfoonso. "Once I became strong enough, both my parents and I decided that we needed to make a difference by talking to people about registering as organ and tissue donors."