April marks National Donate Life Month — a month focusing on the importance and demand of organ, eye, and tissue donation.

Organ donors are some of the most selfless people in the world, so it’s always emotional when someone who received an organ from a donor can meet their family.

April is National Donate Life Month, a time to celebrate the generosity of those who have saved lives by becoming organ, tissue, bone marrow donors and by making blood donations.

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va – After more than 40 years of serving the Roanoke County community, a retired firefighter is now turning to the community for help. “The reason I wanted to become a firefighter was because it’s kind of like a family tradition. He spent his entire career fighting fires across multiple stations in Roanoke County; however, after struggling with high blood pressure, a trip to the doctor changed his life forever. Since then, Kipley has spent more than two years waiting to find a person with Type B-positive blood who would match him for a kidney donation. So now, he is turning to the community he served in hopes of finding a match.