Woodridge Woman Honors Brother who gave Gift of Sight

Woodridge - When asked to describe her brother and share memories from their childhood, the love that Amanda Rohlf feels for her younger sibling is clear. The smile never left Amanda's face as she flipped through pictures of Doug on her phone, and recounted story after story of his life.

"I could talk about him for hours," Amanda said. "He was just the perfect little brother, there is no other way to describe it."

Growing up in Woodridge, Amanda and Doug were very close. Though five years apart in age, the pair was inseparable early on and never tired of each other's company. Even as they got older, Amanda fondly remembers her brother always being there for her. Despite any distance between them Doug always took the time to support his sister - and vice versa.

"He would do anything for me," Amanda recalled. "I could always turn to him, and so could any of his friends or other family members. He was just there for others. It didn't matter if he was having a terrible day himself, he was going to be there."

Doug's caring nature was also reflected in his reputation as a social butterfly. While known for being a motivated and hardworking student at College of DuPage, where he studied both welding and business management, Doug still never missed an opportunity to see friends. He would even go so far as to ride his bike from Woodridge to downtown Naperville, and back again, to meet up with different groups.

"Doug was very outgoing and very funny," said Amanda. "If there was ever a quiet moment he would fill the silence. He was such a bubbly person and could light up the room."

Needless to say, Doug held a special place in the hearts of many people. When he took his own life in March 2015 at 20 years of age, the impact that Doug had on those around him became clearer than ever.

"Doug's service was amazing," described Amanda. "It was standing room only, and there was a line of people out the door. Each person took a turn sharing memories about Doug and how sweet he was. It was really something special."

Now, in addition to remembering her brother as a compassionate, funny and giving individual, Amanda also takes great pride in knowing he was able to help others through eye, organ and tissue donation.

Though their family had not discussed donation prior to Doug's passing, after learning he was a registered donor they knew it was something they wanted to pursue.

"Donation is something good we can hold onto even in such a dark time," said Amanda.

Doug was able to help six people through the donation of his kidneys, heart valve, liver and corneas. His corneas were recovered and prepared for transplant by Eversight Illinois, a Chicago-based charitable eye bank dedicated to the preservation and restoration of sight.

"Through his selfless decision to join the Illinois Organ/Tissue Donor Registry, Doug was able to give two people the gift of sight through corneal transplantation," said Brittany Wright, Community Relations Liaison for Eversight Illinois.

Doug's generosity granted two women, one in New Jersey and another in Illinois, a second chance at sight.

Thanks to individuals like Doug who are registered donors, Eversight Illinois provides nearly 3,000 people, both in Illinois and around the world, with the gift of sight each year. In 2014 alone, the organization facilitated corneal transplants for 1,431 Illinois residents. As significantly, Eversight Illinois provided more than 1,300 tissues to support research finding the causes and cures of leading blinding eye conditions.

"Being a cornea donor is just something so great that Doug was able to do," Amanda expressed. "It's nice to know that part of him and his story will live on."

To continue to honor Doug's memory Amanda is participating in the Out of the Darkness Chicagoland Community Walk on September 26. The walk, put on by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, raises money to support mental health.

"My team has already collected more than $1,000 for the walk," shared Amanda. "I'm excited to give back in memory of Doug and all the great things he did for others."

---

Eversight Illinois is a charitable, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of sight. We recover, evaluate and distribute eye tissue for transplantation, as well as research and education. In addition, we provide tissue that helps researchers develop treatments and cures for blinding eye conditions by funding research, and we work to educate others about eye donation and corneal transplantation. Our mission is accomplished through the generosity of eye donors and their families, volunteers and charitable contributions. For more information, visit Eversight Illinois online at www.eversightvision.org/illinois or call (312) 469-5516.