NORMAL – Since John Lefferts died suddenly and unexpectedly of an aortic dissection at age 22, his family has been on a journey.

“I feel like my heart is truly broken,” said his mother, Vivian Lefferts of Normal. “After my son died, I thought ‘How will I tell people about John? How will I keep his memory alive?’”

A path chosen by Vivian and Larry Lefferts was to keep their son’s memory alive by helping others to live. They agreed that their son would be a tissue donor. His two corneas and 35 bones and tissues have improved the lives of 37 people in 14 states.