Born in Mississippi, Donnie was the only son and had three sisters. The entire family was very involved in the church in their home town. He grew up to be a very giving person – gave his skills to the Army Reserves, his knowledge of the Bible to everyone, and the knowledge he learned to his employers. He met his wife at a common-sfriend’s wedding and made her wait 3 years before asking her to marry him. Guess he wanted to be sure! His life was never the same. He became a contractor for various companies before settling down with a company in Georgia and buying his first house. He loved to fish, kayak, hunt, and/or go antique shopping with his wife.

When his mother died in 2008, he started looking for skills to others in case of an emergency. In 2019, he took an EMT class. He had just taken the final hands-on tests and passed. He was scheduled to take the Georgia State written exams four days later. He loved to jog every morning. That Monday, he went for his jog and came home. He woke his wife up complaining about chest pains and then went to a location where it would be easier for the EMTs. Again — always trying to help out!

When he got his Georgia DL, he opted to put down the donor option. There are now parts of him helping others to live — tissue, bones, and his eyes. May the recipients of his gifts “live long and prosper”! And whomever has his eyes, look with favor on the the Houston Texans and the Mississippi State Bulldogs.