Diagnosed with a rare kidney disease, Jonathan Finger received a transplant from his mother in 2002, but the organ soon rejected completely. In 2009, after seven years of dialysis and open-heart surgery, Jonathan was re-activated on the transplant waiting list, but his doctor was not optimistic a match could be found, and Jonathan girded for long-term dialysis. Miraculously, two weeks later, Jonathan was preparing for transplant surgery. Jonathan later developed a wonderful relationship with the family of his donor, Taylor Storch. "Every aspect of my life has improved dramatically, and I'm so thankful," said Jonathan. "Thank God for Taylor and her gift to me."

Jonathan's Story

Two years after being diagnosed with a rare kidney disease, Jonathan Finger received a transplant from his mother. It was a rocky road, and after several minor rejection episodes, the organ rejected completely in the summer of 2002.

In 2009, after nearly seven years of dialysis, 32-year old Jonathan had a heart infection that destroyed his mitral valve and required open-heart surgery. He received a life-saving mechanical valve and recovered very speedily, so that four months later, he was eligible to be re-activated on the transplant waiting list.

Jonathan's doctor informed him that while he was now re-listed, he was still a very difficult match. "I left that day knowing I was going to be a long-term dialysis patient, and simply accepted it," acknowledged Jonathan. Two weeks later, Jonathan's phone rang early in the morning. He recognized the number as one from UCH and figured he forgot to send in one of his monthly labs. "Then I realized it was 6:00 AM, and I suddenly knew exactly what this call was," recalled Jonathan. Less than two hours later, Jonathan was at the hospital getting ready for transplant surgery. Jonathan had waited nearly eight years for this day.

A couple of months after the transplant, during a routine checkup, Jonathan's hospital social worker gave him a large yellow envelope. She informed him that it contained correspondence from his donor's family. Jonathan said, "At once, I was hit with a sense of sorrow and joy. I wanted desperately to know the story of this person, but also understood the gravity of what that meant."

When Jonathan read Taylor Storch's story, he quickly realized that the life that saved his had been truly remarkable. To see such a promising life extinguished so early was extremely difficult for him to reconcile with his gift of life. "I vowed to treasure this gift from Taylor, and do what I could to memorialize her, and to live in the present."

After recovering from surgery, Jonathan trained for several months, and rode 500 miles across Iowa in the 2011 Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. The RAGBRAI is a grueling seven day journey from the Missouri to the Mississippi, covering 500 miles and roughly 20,000 ft. of vertical climb. Jonathan assembled a team and rode for Taylor's Gift, the charity created in his donor's name.

Jonathan has become very close with the Storch family, "I've been so thankful for their presence in my life, and the constant encouragement and inspiration that they have become for me. "I thank God daily for my life, and I am trying to respect and honor Taylor by living it to the fullest. Every aspect of my life has improved dramatically, and I'm so thankful. Thank God for Taylor and her gift to me, and thank the Storches for being such an amazing family"