Today, the AWESOME comes from Michigan. In 2013, Brian Martindale was hit with a craving for gum and had only one piece left, so he went to the store. At that store, he saw a story on the front page of the newspaper about a mother’s desperate pleas to find a kidney to save the life of her 10-year-old daughter Jessica. Martindale, who had never met Jessica or her family, felt compelled to act. Within months, he donated his kidney to her. Over time, Jessica became like a daughter to him and his wife. Wanting to do more, he founded the nonprofit Kidneys for Kids in 2022 and launched a nationwide initiative called Driving for Life. Behind the wheel of a donated car, Martindale traveled across the U.S., logging over 7,000 miles in the first year. That number climbed to 10,000 the following year, and in 2025, he surpassed 25,000 miles. He has literally circled the earth to find kidney donors for children, and THAT’S AWESOME.
