Hot Lips the Gorilla

Hot Lips the Gorilla was my favorite stuffed animal as a young girl, and he slept beside me for many years.  When Dad (Roger L. Johnson) passed away, I hoped that Hot Lips’ company might make Mom’s bed seem a little less empty, so I rescued Hot Lips from the attic, and tucked him in with Mom, just as she used to do for me.  Like the Velveteen Rabbit, Hot Lips had been so loved that he had lost his vision years ago.  In honor of Dad’s gift of his corneas, we decided it was time for Hot Lips to have a little surgery.  Just look at Hot Lips’ smile now with the sparkle restored to his (new button) eyes!

Blaire Johnson

The North Carolina Eye Bank takes great pride in our ability to share the gift of sight with thousands of people every year through corneal transplant, research and education. This gift does not come without a price. We must remember that for each grateful recipient of a transplanted cornea or medical breakthrough achieved, there is a family who is struggling with the loss of a loved one. These are the stories and remembrances of their family members — the faces of donation.

The 2005 Faces of Donation

A   |  B  |  C  |  D  |  E  |  F  |  G  |  H  |  I  |  J   |  K  |  L  |  M  |  N  |  P  |  R  |  S  |  T  |  V  |  W  |  Y  |  Extra