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2015 FLORAGRAPH

 PAUL M. GUYETTE

Organ, Tissue and Cornea Donor
Age 42 ~ Rochester, NY
Donated on 2/4/2013
at URMC/Strong Memorial Hospital

Sponsored by Finger Lakes Donor Recovery Network & URMC/Strong Memorial Hospital


Paul Guyette was a devoted family man, electrician, and avid sportsman. He loved the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres. In 2012, a close family friend announced she would donate her kidney altruistically, which amazed Paul, who called it the most humble act that anyone could do. Ten days after his friend underwent surgery for her donation, Paul was awakened by a tremendous headache that signaled a severe intracranial brain hemorrhage. He was able to save four lives through organ donation, help two others with saphenous veins, and restore sight to two people. His heart was received by hockey player Gates Orlando, who was in the same hospital at the same time and a perfect match.


Paul's Story

Paul M. Guyette was born and raised in Rochester, NY, where he was a devoted Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres fan and an avid sportsman. He worked as an electrician and lived with his wife, Mary, and their two children, Jenna and Emma. Paul was a man who lived each day to the fullest and who had a "bigger than life" personality who loved to make others laugh.

Paul had a friend, Laurie LoMonaco, who began raising awareness about organ donation with Paul and his family. She signed up to be an altruistic kidney donor in 2012 and had her surgery on January 23, 2013. Paul was "in awe" that she was willing to help another human being in this way. He thought it was the most humble act that anyone could possibly do for another. He couldn't stop talking about Laurie as a "hero."

Ten days later on February 3, 2013, Paul was awakened in the middle of night with an extreme headache and collapsed almost immediately from a severe intracranial brain hemorrhage. He was placed on life support and his family was approached about donation as Paul had not registered to be a donor. Although not a registered donor, Paul had had a conversation the day before with his father about Laurie's story, and that helped to confirm the family's decision.

Paul was able to donate organs, tissue and corneas. His heart was given to Gates Orlando, a former Buffalo Sabres and Rochester Amerks hockey player. Gates had been waiting for a transplant and living in Strong Memorial Hospital for the previous 10 months with an artificial heart. Both the donor and recipient were in the same city, in the same hospital, and were perfect matches. "We also found it fascinating that Paul's heart was going to a hockey player, which would have made him very proud!" Mary remarked.

Paul's liver and kidneys saved the lives of three middle-aged men, one of whom has a son who enjoys hunting. His saphenous veins were used in vascular grafts for two patients having coronary artery bypass surgery, and his corneas have restored sight for two individuals. All in all, Paul's donations helped eight other people live and have a better quality of life.