Jake donated bone marrow to Sandy, a 54 year old woman with Chronic Idiopathic Myelofibrosis. Sandy was matched with three potential donors, “they determined that Jake was the best one,” she recalled.  Jake had registered with Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation on April 26, 2006 while he was studying at Baruch College in New York.  Jake never thought that he would get the call to donate, but he knew immediately that he would proceed with the donation. “I can’t look at it as saving a life,” he explained, “it’s giving a life back. It’s easier, actually, to see it that way.”

Three years after the donation, Jake had the opportunity to meet the woman whose life he saved. The pair was originally supposed to meet in 2011 but had to cancel due to Hurricane Irene. A few months before their August 28th meeting Sandy called Jake inviting him to the US Open. Jake was thrilled to finally meet Sandy, “it was good to see her so moved on; there was no trace of the cancer.” While they had emailed and spoken on the phone a few times, Jake and Sandy had never exchanged photographs. At the Open, Sandy’s husband Dave spotted a stranger looking rather lost, he walked right up to him and asked him if he was Jake, it was. 

Jake, an avid bike rider, reported how easy it was to donate. In fact, he was back on his bike in ten days. Jake has continued his involvement with Gift of Life, attending drives and sharing his experience with potential donors. Jake even got his friends involved with Gift of Life. The 28 year old said that he “got so much” out of donating that felt he should thank his recipient. 

The pair look forward to turning their US Open outing into an annual tradition.