Jim McCall was an athletic, happy young man. He loved life and had many friends who gravitated to him. At age 19, Jim was attending a local junior college, working in a restaurant and living in his own apartment.

On January 19, 1998, Jim was riding his motorcycle when he was involved in an auto accident. Although he was wearing his helmet, he suffered severe internal injuries and immediately went into a coma. He never recovered and was pronounced dead on January 22.

Within an hour of the accident, two dozen friends and their parents gathered at the hospital to offer prayers and support. His friends did not leave until his family left three days later.

When he was a freshman in high school, Jim had known three boys from his sister’s class who had died in three successive weeks. Jim and his family had spent many hours discussing life, death and organ donation. Jim said then that he would want to be a donor.

Jim’s liver, one kidney, two heart valves, two corneas, veins, bone and skin were recovered and used to restore and enhance lives. His parents, Cathy and Jay, have met the man who received his liver and have stayed in touch with him and his wife.

Jim inspired his family to become advocates for organ donation and to set up an educational foundation, Life Donor USA, for organ donation advocacy. For the last 12 years, the McCalls have worked hard to encourage families to talk about donation and to register with the DonateLifeAZ Registry.

In August 2010, Jim’s sister, Meredith McCall, received the life-saving gift of a pancreas and kidney. She had been an insulin-dependent diabetic since she was 16 months old, and her kidneys had failed. She is doing well now and will be riding the 2011 Donate Life Rose Parade float alongside her brother’s floragraph.