Marty W. Palmanteer

Type of Donation:       Kidneys

Age and Location:      50, Harborview Medical Center

Donation Date:           February 18, 2016

Sponsor:                      OneLegacy

MARTY’S STORY

From Carrie Holland:

My involvement with Donate Life and OneLegacy is twofold. The first connection is with my husband, Jim, who had a liver transplant in October 2011. After this experience, I encouraged my whole family to be donors.



My second connection happened in 2016: I lost my baby brother to a brain hemorrhage. He was only 50 years old and has three daughters, two stepsons, and a wonderful wife. It was a shock to the whole family. He was very active and a referee for high school sports. Known for being an impartial officiator, Marty was selected as the Washington State Volleyball Official of the year as well as the Okanogan County Basketball Official of the year.

Marty also served our country in the Air Force. Given the opportunity to see the world, Marty was stationed in Berlin when the wall came down. Before it was all taken down, Marty wrote "Colville Tribes" on the wall. He was also able to bring a piece of that wall home with him.

Marty was the jokester in the family. Just two weeks before he passed, we were at a family wedding in California. It was February and cold. Sitting in the hot tub, Marty said, "Watch me!" as he jumped out of the hot tub into the freezing cold pool. I never saw someone jump out of the water so fast! He came out screaming! Little did I know, that would be the last time he made me laugh.

Marty did not wake up one early morning in February 2016. He was taken to three different hospitals. We were informed he had no brain activity and was dependent on the machines to keep his heart beating. We knew Marty would not want to be this way, so we decided to remove the ventilator. Because of this decision, my brother's legacy goes on in two different strangers by donating his kidneys.

Marty is my hero. Those we love don't go away; they continue to walk beside us every day when they are donors. I am passionate about organ, eye and tissue donation.