The Power to Donate Life

The sister of the Fresno man whose organs and tissues were donated meets for the first time the recipient of his heart, our cameras were there as the emotional meeting took place.

Lot's of tears as a young woman meets the family who donated their son's heart to save a life.

Allie Weiss the recipient of the heart, "They gave me life, they gave me the biggest gift I could ever have."

24 year old Allie Weiss has suffered from congenital heart disease and needed a heart transplant to survive.

After 36-year old Ruben Rodriguez died his family donated his organs and tissues.

Three years later after the transplant, Allie meets his family for the first time having his heart that saved her life.

Ruben Rodriguez’s mother says "Give to others to donate their organs so that we too can be happy knowing his heart is still beating."

The California Transplant Donor Network saves and improves lives by facilitating organ and tissue donation for transplantation.

They organized today's event. Bringing these two families together which they say is uncommon.

Cindy Siljestrom of CTDN "It's very emotional and sometimes people don't want to meet each other and sometimes they wait a while before meeting but when they meet it's very powerful."

Allie says since getting her transplant, she is now able to live a full life and plans to always stay in touch with the Rodriguez family.

Allie "I’ve been able to do so much stuff and they're just amazing. I hope to have a great relationship with them."