[ad_1]
US Air Force veteran Lindsay Gutierrez served our country for six years and after leaving the army she became a double organ donor.
She donated one of her kidneys to save the lives of military veterans, donated 40% of her liver, giving others the opportunity to survive and thrive.
Gutierrez is featured as one of the 2026 pinup models for Veterinary Calendar, a nonprofit that raises funds to improve veterans’ health care and donates funds to VA hospitals for medical devices and programs expansion.
She served in the Air Force until 2016. In 2014, she was in a vehicle accident that left her with an undiagnosed traumatic brain injury during the deployment.
According to the U.S. Veterans Affairs Bureau, TBI is a “head injury that affects the brain’s workings. TBI can range from mild to severe,” and “can change the way you think, feel, act and move.
Lindsay “Miss March” 2026 Veterinarian Pinup Shane Carns Photos Pinup Shane Carns Photos Lindsay Headshot Shane Carns Shot Jennifer (Navy), Lenare (Miss), Anisa (Army), Lindsay (USAF), Rachel (USAF) Anisa (Army) Amanda (Army), Lindsay (USAF), Rachel (USAF) Credit: Shane Carns Photography and Kidney Recipient Regie Robinson (Army Veteran) After kidney donation at Sinai MT Sinai, Johns Hopkins Left after 2024 Rafhim’s 2024 retirement Gutierrez Basic Training Photo Miss Veteran America 2017 Lindsay at American Legion World Series Lindsay as Ms. Veteran America
Gutierrez said she went for several years without her TBI diagnosis, and that wasn’t until she finally found support at the VA and the neurologist who listened to her concerns. Her diagnosis allowed her to “move forward” in a new chapter as a civilian.
In 2021, Gutierrez said he was connected to a friend who spoke about people in need of liver.
“After knowing I’m O-positive, I realized I could donate my blood to someone, so why not give an organ? Answer her and let me know if he needs something. Thankfully, he was able to receive the care he needed, but that species was planted in my mind.”
Gutierrez then called on him to donate at work one day when the director handed him a copy of Military Times Magazine, and saw an ad for donor outreach for Veterans (Dove).
“My supervisor gave me a copy of Military Times Magazine. At this point, the magazine had never received it before and we can see the addition of donor outreach for veterans.
She described the donor process as “challenging,” but if she could, she would do it “and over and over.”
“A military veteran said that a kidney receiver named Reggie is doing great things and his wife is proud that she couldn’t give to him.
Two years later, Gutierrez anonymously donated a portion of his liver on April 30th last year.
This week she received a letter from the recipient who shared what she had been doing well since the surgery. Veterinary model Pinup hopes to connect with them in the near future.
“I wanted to give them space to allow them to reach out to me when that time was ready, and they are very excited to share.
Gutierrez shared a message of hope to her fellow veterans who may feel unstable about their future.
“Give yourself that grace and know that your trajectory doesn’t need to look like someone else,” she said. “Give me time and space. It’s okay to be where you are. I always remember that there are people who want to love and care for you, so you don’t have to hurry and enjoy every day.”
[ad_2]Source link
