Jerry New: Cornea Donor

From an Interview with Jerry's Widow, Betty

How did the two of you meet?

We were living in Manson, WA. Once day there was a car wreck right in front of my house. My mother went running to see what had happened. Jerry was in the accident! He was OK, and from that he met my brothers. I did not meet him right away but when I did my brothers approved. They had a feeling we would start dating had we met. We dated for a while before we got married. I was 17 and he was 22.

What were some of the best times you had together?

Definitely having our three children. We really enjoyed watching them grow up. We did a lot of camping with the children and Jerry was involved with their little league, girl scouts – whatever they were involved in, he was too. We had an adventurous car trip once. When we moved up to Alaska, we took the Al-Can and drove all the way with the 2 children and one on the way!

We had a lot of BBQs in the backyard.

Jerry came from a family of 13. He was number 4. For 15 years we would go meet one of his brothers on the coast of Oregon. We loved those vacations, especially Jerry. It is so beautiful there.

You know, you don't really realize what is important 'til someone is gone. And you realize it's all the little things that you did together and what they brought to your life.

Jerry truly enjoyed life and tried to do everything in life.

What's something about Jerry that makes you smile when you think about it?

Jerry was always joking and teasing. Every Christmas he would wait until the last minute to go shopping, and then he would just sit and think in his chair for hours until he thought of something. He was almost scrooge like up until that point but he would always turn around. Then when I asked him what he wanted for Christmas, he would say, "Just you."

He always would stick out his tongue when I tried to take a picture of him. Not all the time I suppose, but I do have a great deal of photos with him sticking out his tongue!

Also he would mow the lawn in this silly straw hat. I laugh when I think about it. He would go out in this silly hat, and I would call him in and he would just laugh at me.

What do you think Jerry would want his cornea recipients to cherish looking at?

The person's family. Children and grandchildren. He was always beaming when he looked at his family. And the beauty of scenery. He was always found of nature, especially Alaska.

What has helped you in your grief?

Talking about my grief and talking about Jerry. I made a quilt from all his old tank tops, and I just wrap myself in it sometimes. And donating his corneas has helped. It's very healing to me that his eyes are helping someone.

What has the impact of his cornea donation been on your life?

I talk about his donation a lot and have talked to people about considering choosing donation. I have decided that I will donate mine if I can! I have talked a lot about it to his co-workers and everyone else I talk to about Jerry. I have talked to so many people about it.

He was able to make such a difference in someone's life, and I think that is great. It made me think about my own impact on this world. I would sometimes share this with Jerry. He would tell me that my work I do as a hair stylist at a senior center was making a positive impact in people's lives. I realized that he was right.