StemCell Therapy

by: Casey McNerthneyUpdated: Aug 11, 2017 - 9:47 AM

A 59-year-old man is one of two people able to see again thanks to cornea donations from a man who died last month on Mount Rainier.

Michael Naiman was 42 when he died July 16, shortly after summiting Mount Rainier for a second time. Rangers descended approximately 150 feet to retrieve his body, but he died from the fall into a crevasse on the Emmons Glacier.

Naiman was taken to the Pierce County Medical Examiners office, where staff started the organ donation process.

It was comforting, relative Josh Trujillo said of receiving the notification letter Monday from SightLife, a global health organization. We knew that the donation was happening, but we didnt know wed be reached out to.

Naiman, family said, would be so proud to know his final gift was helping others.

The cornea is the clear part of the eye over the iris and pupil, and last year there were more than 82,000 cornea transplants, according to a government site about organ donation.

Corneas can be damaged by eye disease, injury or birth defects. Blood types with donors and recipients dont have to match, and age, eyesight, and eye color also arent factors, according to the site. The white part of the eye, called the sclera, also can be donated for operations to rebuild an eye.

Mike always put himself in places where he was seeing extraordinary things, Trujillo said. Whether he was diving with whales or climbing tall mountains or spending time with his family and friends. Whoever was gifted sight by Mikes donation should know that those eyes have seen many amazing things.

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Naiman grew up with his father in the mountains of northern New Mexico, often in a teepee or their sheltered truck. He was a woodsman from an early age, and Naimans father taught him how to fish and find sticks for their wood stove.

He graduated from Albuquerque High School in 1994 and after moving to Seattle lived on a 38-foot wooden yacht on Lake Union.

Naiman graduated from Seattle University in 2012 and worked as a diagnostic sonographer at Northwest Hospital. He also spent years as a professional photographer.

He was happy with little, he was happy with more, friend Michael Dietrich wrote on Facebook shortly after Naimans death. Natural confidence grants you that ability to enjoy life as is. And if you have that you will always shine, as Michael did more abundantly than most anybody I ever knew.

Naiman summited Mount Baker and Mount Adams and went to the crater of Mt. St. Helens. But the climb he loved more than all the others was Mount Rainier a place his parents also loved.

Naiman is survived by a large family including his parents, Mark Naiman and Sheila Bjeletich, and brothers Aryn and Dan Daly. Aryn Daly is planning a trip to summit Mount Rainier next year.

Family asked that in lieu of flowers, friends donate to Mount Rainier search and rescue operations. To sign up as an organ donor in any state, follow this link.

Naiman, family said, would love to see others have that same smile he had on the summit.

Finally realizing the longtime goal of climbing the tallest volcano in the contiguous U.S. was made even sweeter by sharing it with two great friends, Naiman wrote to his climbing partners after their first summit.

Thank you both for helping me realize a major dream.

2017 Cox Media Group.

See the original post here:
Eye donations from man who died on Mount Rainier restores vision for 2 people - KIRO Seattle

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