Advocate Spotlight: Tim Atkinson

Tim with his wife, Kristen.

Donor Alliance volunteers and advocates are the heart and soul of our efforts to inspire and inform our community about the importance of signing up to be an organ, eye and tissue donor in Colorado and Wyoming. Each of our volunteers and advocates has their own unique and inspiring story to tell. In this advocate spotlight, meet Tim Atkinson, a Liver Recipient from Firestone, CO.

Get to Know Tim Atkinson in this Month’s Advocate Spotlight:

What’s your favorite thing about volunteering at Donor Alliance? My favorite thing in volunteering with Donor Alliance are the people. Both the Advocates and the people I get to meet at events. I love to hear stories of how organ, eye and tissue donation has impacted so many people in so many ways.

If you could have any superpower for 24 hours, what would you do? I would choose to be invisible. Being able to pass through objects but still have the ability to hold items. Probably need an invisible car, too. Driving with no traffic would be wonderful.

What is your favorite holiday and why? As much as I love Thanksgiving and Christmas, I enjoy Memorial Day. The start of the summer season, the weather isn’t too hot, everything is growing and becoming green and lush, the flags flying to remember our veterans, BBQ, a long weekend- all wonderful times.

What is your favorite season and why? I enjoy spring for the new growth, summer (except for the heat) for the busy weekends outside in this wonderful state, and fall for the cooler temperatures and the leaves changing.

What is your proudest accomplishment? 12 days after my liver transplant walking out of the hospital on my own two feet. Every step I have taken since the transplant has been a gift and I try to remember that each day.

What is the last book you read? Would you recommend it? My Helmet for a Pillow by Robert Leckie. It’s a story of a Marine serving in WWII and how life was for him during the war. I am truly in awe but how these men of 20 years old grew up and saw so much that we will hopefully never have to know.

If you could take an all-expenses paid vacation, where would you go? I would love to visit all 58 National Parks (and a good handful of the National Monuments too) in the United States and its territories. The farthest National Park from us is in Guam!

What’s your favorite holiday and why? Halloween! I love the costumes and the fun of the Halloween. And I loved dressing up and candy as a kid. Okay, even still as an adult. 😊

What are some of your favorite hobbies? I love landscape photography (hence National Park trip). Getting up well before dawn to get a wonderful sunrise shot is amazing. I also enjoy refinishing old pieces of furniture found at thrift stores. It is fun to turn a $10 table into a center piece of a room.

What song would you sing at karaoke night? My singing voice is astounding. Well, in the car anyway. I don’t like to sing in public unless I have 5+ people to sign with. So put on some Queen and I will jump right in with everyone else.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Woof, woof, bark, woof or something to that effect. To be and love as simply as dogs do is a wonderful thing.

If you’re interested in volunteering with us we’d love to have you join our Advocates for Life program! Get started.