After immigrating to the U.S. in his teens, Tony Radulescu served his new country as a highly decorated member of the U.S. Army, then joined the Washington State Patrol. Trooper Tony's motto was "Be positive, be kind, be nice." Tragically, he was killed in the line of duty at age 44 on February 23, 2012. Tony had signed up early on to be a donor, and his gifts gave sight to a woman in California and a man in Korea. As his life partner Gina Miller wrote in a letter to Tony's cornea recipients, "I hope this finds you busy enjoying smile-inducing sights that life has to offer. That is exactly what your eye tissue donor, Trooper Tony Radulescu, would have wanted."

Tony's Story

Tony Radulescu was born in Romania in 1968, the first of four children. He immigrated with his family to America in the 1980s and became a proud U.S. citizen. Tony spoke five different languages, loved to play soccer, and collected model cars. He took great pride in knowing the make, model and year of nearly every car he passed on the road. He had a great sense of humor and deeply enjoyed his time with family and friends.

Tony served his country as a highly decorated member of the U.S. Army. When he retired in 2008 as a Sgt. First Class E7, he still felt called to serve. This time, he chose the Washington State Patrol. He made a difference in the lives of all he touched, including many students whom he educated about the dangers of drinking, texting and driving. The students looked forward to seeing Trooper Tony, and it was one of his favorite parts of his job.

Trooper Tony's motto was "Be positive, be kind, be nice." According to his life partner Gina Miller, "You got a ticket if you deserved it. But it came with his wonderful, warm smile, total respect for your dignity and an encouraging word."

Trooper Tony served his state and community for 16 years before making the ultimate sacrifice. He gave his life in the line of duty on February 23, 2012 when he was shot during a traffic stop in Gorst, Wash.

Tony always wanted to help others; not surprisingly, he made his commitment early on to be an organ and tissue donor. His gift of sight transformed the lives of two people: a woman in California and a man in Korea. After the donation, his son Erick said, "The best way to show you care about someone is to share things with them, give them a part of yourself. I guess that is pretty literal now."

Gina reached out to Tony's cornea recipients. She wrote: "I hope this finds you busy enjoying smile-inducing sights that life has to offer. That is exactly what your eye tissue donor, Trooper Tony Radulescu, would have wanted."