Transplant recipient reveals how she fell in love with and married lung donor’s brother

A double-lung transplant not only led a West Virginia woman to a healthy life – but also to the love of her life.

Jennifer Ellis, who was crowned Ms. West Virginia America in 2015, was born with situs inversus, a rare genetic condition where organs in the chest and abdomen are flipped in the body.

After a successful surgery in 2019, she kept in contact with the donor’s family and decided to meet them. The visit included being introduced to Travis, who would eventually become her future husband.

Jennifer was told she was in desperate need of a lung transplant when her health began to rapidly deteriorate. 

After a successful double-lung transplant in 2019, West Virginia resident, Jennifer Ellis, crossed paths with her donor’s brother, Travis, who would eventually become her future husband

It became clear that Jennifer was in desperate need of a lung transplant after her health began to deteriorate, and she joined the waitlist in 2018 after spending ten months of the year in the hospital

Her situation declined over time, initially noticing she was unable to catch her breath while exercising as she prepared for her 2015 Ms. America Pageant.

Within just a few years, she needed to be hooked up to oxygen around the clock to be able to get air into her lungs. 

After spending 10 months in hospital, she was then assigned a spot on a transplant waitlist in 2018. 

‘I was very active before, but that had to stop because it got to the point where I was constantly hooked up to machines. I couldn’t really go anywhere except for the doctors,’ she explained to Cleveland Clinic.

But a few months after being on the waitlist, the phone call of hope came through.

‘When I found out, I immediately fell to the floor and started crying,’ Jennifer added.

‘It’s definitely bittersweet because I know that some beautiful young lady had to pass away in order for me to get my lungs. I don’t know that I’ll ever know who you are, but thank you,’ Jennifer said in a video shortly, shared by ABC News.  

After receiving her new lungs, she experienced transplant rejection and worked with her care team to build up her lung strength through breathing exercises and medications

Despite living more than 700 miles away, the pair had an instant connection. They would keep in close contact when they were apart, and eventually began taking turns to travel and see each other

After receiving her new lungs, at first her body struggled to adapt so she worked with her care team to build up her lung strength through breathing exercises and medications. 

But her second chance at life would have never been possible without her donor, Jill, whose family traveled from Wisconsin to West Virginia to meet Jennifer in person after they talked back and forth for some time. 

During that visit, she not only met the family of her lung donor, but Travis Ellis, who would eventually become her forever person.

‘When I met Travis for the first time, I thought he was cute as could be,’ Jennifer added. ‘But I never thought in a thousand years it would turn into anything. It wasn’t even an option in my head because of the distance.’ 

Despite living more than 700 miles away, the pair had an instant connection. They would keep in close contact when they were apart, and eventually began taking turns to travel and see each other.

‘Whenever she was at the hospital, I would check on her so she didn’t feel lonely,’ Travis told Cleveland Clinic. ‘Everything just happened so naturally.’ 

They began to develop a closer relationship as the months went by, which led to Travis making the move to West Virginia so he could be closer to Jennifer and she could remain close to the clinic. 

In July of last year, Travis popped the question. They tied the knot in September of this year.

‘I’m grateful my daughter loved people, and she was willing to help anyone even in death,’ Randy Ellis, Jill’s father, told Cleveland Clinic.

Her second chance at life would have never been possible without her donor, Jill, whose family traveled from Wisconsin to West Virginia to meet Jennifer in person after they communicated back and forth for some time

‘We lost a daughter, but Jenny gained her life. Becoming an organ donor gives somebody else a chance to live. It changes people’s lives.’

Jill’s family was able to find comfort in their loved ones passing knowing their daughter’s legacy lives on through not only Jennifer, but the five additional lives she saved thanks to her organs.

‘Not only is she breathing with Jill’s lungs – she’s also my daughter-in-law,’ Teresa Karl, Jill’s mother, added. 

Despite living with decreased lung function, she is 100 percent healthier and happier than before – enjoying life and being able to enjoy time with family and friends without being hooked up to oxygen. 

Jennifer said that Jill’s gift to her has been nothing short of life changing, ABC News added.

Her journey also developed into an unexpected love story. 

‘Becoming an organ donor saves lives,’ she added. ‘It allows others to create memories they wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for organ donation.’

‘Without my donor, I would have never met the love of my life.’