Organ Donors Honored on Sanford Health’s Wall of Donor Heroes in Fargo

Sanford's Wall of Donor Heroes honors these heroes, recipients and families who made it through potential tragedies

FARGO, N.D. — Organ donors of the Red River Valley are being honored for helping others survive.

Sanford Health put up a Wall of Donor Heroes at the downtown Fargo location.

You’re looking at the faces of locals who helped others survive by donating organs.

Sanford’s Wall of Donor Heroes honors these heroes, recipients and families who made it through potential tragedies.

Stories and photos were shared by patients and donors on the “Because of You, I Live” wall.

We spoke with Jeff Ficek, an organ recipient who’s alive and well thanks to a kidney donated by his golfing buddy Jeremy.

Health officials say this improved Ficek’s quality of life and prevented the need for a blood dialysis.

Sanford Health and other area organizations has been matching organ donors with recipients for 15 years.

“He had a gift bag and in the gift bag was a can of Kidney beans and he said, ‘I just found out that we’re a match’,” said Ficek. “Unbelievable blessing for me and my family. Goes without saying that Jeremy is an incredible person.”

Ficek says he’s back to golfing with Jeremy.

Although they’re not blood relatives, he tells us this is just the kind of guy Jeremy is.

On KVRR Local News at 9, hear more about Jeff Ficek’s journey through getting a kidney donation from his friend.