Danny was the brother of my best friend, Emily Rankin. I had met Emily during my sophomore year of high school and towards the end of that year, I was introduced to Danny. At that point in time, none of us knew the life-changing events that were ahead, and I never expected Danny to play such an incredible role in my life and in the lives of people he would never even meet. Sharing his story is incredibly important to me.

The first thing to know about Danny is that his looks alone could leave any girl swooning. Once a football player, he was a huge guy with an athletic build. His towering stature paired with wonderful genes from a beautiful family meant that he could turn any girl’s head. Despite the fact he was nearly eight years my senior, I found that he could even make my heart speed up a little bit. Danny was also incredibly intelligent. As a member of Mensa, Danny didn’t have a need to advertise his intelligence. Instead, it revealed itself in daily conversations. He was also hilarious, as if the guy wasn't already "the total package."

After graduating from UNLV in 2008, he worked with autistic children and also his graduate education. It was around this time that I first met Danny. The first time I saw him and Emily together, I was mesmerized by how close and almost identical the two were. He seemed to possess the same glowing and unique personality that Emily had -- a personality that I absolutely loved. It was like watching one person. They were just like a reflection of each other. He loved her as much as you could possibly love someone, something that was clear in just watching them together. I was fortunate enough to get to spend time with Danny and learn more about him.

Danny had an incredible capacity to care for other people. Sadly, I began to learn that sometimes he needed to focus on himself instead. He had struggled with addiction and after hard work and a lot of love from family and friends, he had found a life of recovery, immersing himself in his Christian faith and time with loved ones. I was learning his history during an interesting time in my life. I was entering treatment for an eating disorder while I was getting to know him. Once he told me about his past, I told him about my present. He offered me advice, love and prayers. I learned that Danny had such an incredible capacity to show love to everyone. From children to fellow friends, Danny seemed to always show love by helping other people fight their battles, despite the fact he had his own to fight. I don’t think I have ever met anyone who could match Danny’s incredible capacity to show love.

After a few years, I went to college. Danny and I spoke from time to time either through Facebook or on the phone. He would check on me and be there if I just needed someone to talk to. I was not an old buddy or a best friend. He was not expected or required to show me any kind of consideration. I was his sister’s friend. Yet he always managed to keep me in his thoughts and prayers. Emily and I remained best friends despite the fact we were in different cities. While I no longer got to see her and Danny very often, we managed to remain in touch despite the distance. 

In September of 2012, everything changed. I was leaving class one afternoon when I received a phone call from Emily. Between sobs, the only words I could make out were, “something happened.” She told me she was on her way home to Little Rock and wasn’t sure what was going on but that she knew something happened with Danny. I was in Little Rock by the next morning.

In the ICU, the magnitude of the situation really came to light. Emily greeted me, red and watery-eyed, and we immediately fell into an embrace that resulted in a flood of tears and emotions. I learned that after an accidental overdose, Danny was in a coma. Someone who should have been a care giver and medical provider for Danny had irresponsibly given him the tools to relapse. For over a week, family and friends gathered in the waiting room and filled the Rankin home with dinners, pies, cards and flowers. I remember sitting in a circle, crying, sharing stories, watching a family trying to survive this unfathomable tragedy. On September 29, 2012 at 1:35 A.M., after many prayers and tears, Daniel Paul Rankin VI passed away.

His death was followed by even more sorrow and tears. Following his passing, the news was shared with Danny’s friends and family that for a moment seemed to relieve a small amount of the pain. Danny, who was an organ donor, had saved and changed over 50 lives. While this wonderful realization could never provide full understanding or relief for those who loved Danny, it did give them something incredibly precious to think about. Danny, one of the most loving and selfless people to touch lives, seemed to use his decision to be an organ donor as a final act of love and selflessness. 

As the one-year anniversary of Danny’s death approached, the Rankins were contacted by the recipient of his heart. The Rankins learned about his life and family. The decision was made for the two families to meet. I was fortunate enough to be asked to be a part of the experience. At the end of the summer months, I sat at a kitchen table next to Emily and the man with the heart that had previously shown so many people so much love. Dan’s loving nature and everything he stood for was represented in his gift of life. So, with the house was full of friends and relatives of Danny, we exchanged stories and reconstructed the life of the man who had touched so many lives. 

When I learned that National Donor Day was on Valentine’s Day, I immediately felt my eyes fill with tears. Danny was a flirt and a ladies man, making Valentine’s Day a very appropriate day to remember him. More importantly, he had shown so much love to people during his life through reaching out to them and even his decision to be an organ donor. When I learned that it was also Donor Day, I knew that it was time for Danny’s story to be written. It seemed like today encapsulated everything Danny stood for. 

While there is not anything could compensate for the loss of Danny, knowing his best attribute, showing love to anyone he came into contact with, is living on certainly provides a little bit of comfort. I have seen a family broken by loss, find strength from each other and regain a little bit of joy from seeing how Danny’s legacy and love will live on. Losing a loved one is never easy. I have watched how loss can tear apart all feelings of security and hope. What I can testify to is that Danny’s decision to be an organ donor not only saved the life of a father and wonderful man, but also gave a small glimmer of joy back to his own family. That final act of love and charity didn’t just touch the life of the man it saved, it gave the rest of us that were left behind something to hang on to and a daily reminder of his love. 

Danny reached out to other people to help them fight their battles, even when he was struggling with his own.  I think the fact that Donor Day and Valentine’s Day are on the same day is one of the most beautiful things that I have heard. From what I have seen, there is no greater act of love than giving a piece of oneself to help another, something that Danny lived out  in his life and even in his passing. I ask that today, everyone take some time to think about how to live out acts of love in your daily life. Take some time to appreciate your loved ones, appreciate those who have been donors, and seek to make the same kind of impact with love that Danny has made. Take some time to look past the boxes of chocolates and bouquets of roses and remember that this day is really about showing love and putting others first, something Danny stood for. I have seen a resilient family grow through tragedy. Today I ask that you keep them and the families of other donors in your thoughts. Happy Valentine’s and Donor Day to everyone, especially the incredible and beautiful Rankin family.