Monday, UNM Hospital celebrated Donate Life Month, along with donors and recipients.
Survivor Ray Villa has made a full recovery after he needed a kidney.
He says the hospital’s donation program helped his family learn about organ donation and that led to his son-in-law, Sal Lopez, saving his life.
“Before then he was my son-in-law. Today, he’s my son. I got his kidney. It’s been now… I had the transplant on Dec. 6,” Ray Villa said.
Monday afternoon, a special award was given to the family of Joel Anthony Mumaw. The boy was only 6 years old when he died in a car crash at the intersection of Eubank and Indian School last April.
His family donated his organs.