Christopher Alan Winkel was a caring, energetic young athlete. Throughout his middle and high school years in Michigan, he played on the football, basketball, wrestling and track teams. In July 2009, 26-year-old Christopher moved to Southern California for a job. On November 7, he died unexpectedly and became a tissue and cornea donor, helping more than 70 people to date.

Christopher's Story

Christopher Alan Winkel was energetic, athletic, caring and a born peacemaker. He loved going to movies and concerts, hunting, fly fishing and traveling, but he especially loved playing sports. Throughout his middle and high school years in Michigan, he played on the football, basketball, wrestling and track teams.

In July 2009, 26-year-old Christopher moved to Southern California for a job. In a very short time he met and made many friends at work and on the beaches playing volleyball. He thought it was great that permanent courts were set along the boardwalk at Huntington Beach. The beaches became his second home on the weekends.

"On November 7, 2009, just a month after visiting him, we received a phone call from the hospital that Christopher was brought into the emergency room and they needed insurance information. All they could tell us about his condition was that they were trying to stabilize him," said his mother, Lynn Winkel. "About an hour later, the ER doctor called to inform us that Christopher had passed away. They had no immediate cause of death, but they could never stabilize his heart."

"About a half hour after that dreadful call, we had a call from OneLegacy stating that Christopher had designated himself as an organ donor, and they needed information to proceed. It was then that he gave his best, helping more than 70 people to-date. Christopher's smile and friendship left a legacy that all of us can admire. His life was short, but his spirit lives on in the ones he helped."