Aimee was known for her sharp wit, love of music, and devotion to family and friends. She followed in the footsteps of her father, Ron, a longtime journalist and communicator, with her own accomplished career covering sports, courts, and politics.
At just 38 years old, Aimee suffered a major stroke that left her in a rare and devastating condition known as “locked-in syndrome.” She was fully conscious but unable to move, speak, or breathe on her own — tragically trapped in a body that no longer functioned. She could think and feel emotion, but could only communicate by opening or shutting her eyes to answer “yes” or “no” questions.
When her father asked if she wanted to leave the world on her own terms, she quickly closed her eyes for “Yes.” Then, he asked if she wanted to honor the decision she made when she received her driver’s license to be an organ donor — and she closed her eyes again to confirm “Yes.”
Aimee’s gift saved three people, including Kris Vanni, a Florida wife and mother whose illness left her in desperate need of a liver transplant.
“I have a future thanks to Aimee’s brave ‘yes,’” says Kris. “I get to be there for all the big moments in my sons’ lives, spend more time with my husband, and make new memories.”
Today, Ron affectionately calls Kris his “adopted daughter.” Aimee’s recipients are reminders that her spirit lives on.
“When this world lost Aimee, we gained her in others,” Ron said. “Her strength and generosity didn’t end with her passing — they continue, carried forward by all she inspired, and the lives she saved.”