September 15, 2026, marked an unforgettable milestone for stem cell donor Makenzie Strickler and her transplant recipient Jose Morales, a cancer survivor, as the two met in person for the first time.
The meeting took place during “Miami Beach Day,” hosted by the Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) and held at MBPD headquarters in support of its partnership with Gift of Life.
Makenzie and Jose, who now share such a deep connection, were introduced by Miami Beach Vice Mayor Alex Fernandez. Because federal regulations say that donors and recipients must remain anonymous for the first year after the transplant, this is the first time the two have met face-to-face.
“Before meeting Jose, I just knew that I had done a good thing for another person,” said Makenzie. “Now I understand so much better how my stem cell donation saved his life and helped his family.”
“I have been so excited and thankful to finally meet Makenzie in person,” said Jose. “It’s wonderful to personally thank her for the incredible gift she gave me. I don’t think words can fully express how grateful I am.” Jose, who is a construction supervisor from Greenville, S.C., was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia after a visit to the emergency room for abdominal pain.
“I thought maybe I had appendicitis,” he said. “I never imagined it would turn out to be leukemia.”
That hope came to fruition when Makenzie was found as his matching donor. She joined the registry in 2024 at a drive hosted by a friend for the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Makenzie was only in the registry for six months when she got the call from Gift of Life that she matched a patient in need, and only five weeks later, she was in the Adelson Collection Center donating stem cells.
Cell donations are hand-carried by special couriers to the transplant centers, and when Jose learned they had arrived, he was both nervous and excited.
“I had a lot of hope, but I was also taking everything one day at a time,” said Jose. “My transplant went very smoothly, but the recovery was still challenging both physically and emotionally. This is a major process for your body.”
Makenzie also had good things to say about her donation experience with Gift of Life.
“The overall process is much simpler than I anticipated,” she said. “My donor services coordinator was amazing when it came to answering my questions and encouraging me.”
Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones made the moment even more special when he presented Makenzie with a special edition MBPD challenge coin designed by world-renowned Miami artist Romero Britto. This unique coin is given only to those who have performed an act of heroism.
Also, as part of the morning’s events, several Miami Beach officials spoke about the lifesaving work Gift of Life does, the need for more diversity in the registry, and the pride the city feels in partnering with such a meaningful organization. Speakers included Miami Beach Mayor Steve Meiner, City Manager Eric Carpenter, Vice Mayor Alex Fernandez, Police Chief Wayne Jones, Fire Chief Digna Abello, and special thanks to MBPD Corporal Chris Mitchell for serving as master of ceremonies.
Makenzie, 22, attends the University of Missouri – St. Louis and is a member of the Alpha Phi Omega national, co-ed, service fraternity. She loves to knit and crochet, read, participate in theatre, and play Dungeons & Dragons with friends.
Jose, 36, and his wife Rebecca are residents of Greenville, S.C., where they are raising their four children. Jose works as a construction superintendent and spends his free time on family activities and exploring the outdoors. He is also highly involved in his community