Heidi Miller

Type of Donation:          kidney donor

Age and Location:          Age 65 – Laguna Beach, CA

Donation Date:                11/17/2017

Sponsor:                              Honored by Balboa Bay Club

HEIDI’S STORY

Heidi Miller is a serial entrepreneur having founded HEIDI’S FROGEN YOZURT (120 stores) TIGHT ASSETS (5 stores) and THE WORLD NEWSSTAND. Heidi was a nursing major in college and National Gymnastics Champion for many years. After college and gymnastics, Heidi competed as an International Women’s Body Building Champion for a decade.

Heidi believes in giving back and had sat on many boards, including The American Heart Association, City of Hope, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, The Laguna Playhouse, The Laguna Beach Historical Society and more. A resident of Laguna Beach for over 40 years, Heidi’s believes in giving back to the community that has supported her through the years. Laguna Beach proudly named Heidi “CITIZEN OF THE YEAR” in 2018 and Heidi was honored to be featured in the 2018 Laguna Beach Patriots Day Parade. Heidi has been on dozens of television shows, featured in hundreds of magazines and newspapers, won numerous awards but her greatest accomplishment was saving someone’s life.

Heidi found out through social networking that Bruce Cook, a mere acquaintance, was dying from kidney disease and was in need of a kidney to live. After 5 1/2 years on dialysis, the need was imminent. Heidi had seen this scenario before, as in 1991, Heidi was a Bone Marrow transplant Donor for her best friend Terry Reisdorf. Terry, like Bruce, had only months to live. After the Bone Marrow Transplant, Terry went on to live 23 fulfilling years. Heidi was tested as a donor for Bruce and after months of rigorous testing, Heidi was a perfect match. As Heidi says, “Everything just fell into place, the entire process was effortless.”

Today both Heidi and Bruce are thriving and continuing to spread the message of “LIVE KIDNEY DONATION.” You can give now… or later (pink dot), but we should all give. Heidi’s mom and dad, 90 and 92, are her HEROS. “They taught me the spirit of giving. I am one of 5 children, but I now have this beautiful extended family, The Cooks.” Doctors say Heidi’s kidney should give Bruce 20-25 years. He plans on inviting Heidi to his 90th birthday party. Heidi will be 89.