One Life Lost, Another Saved: In Rare Moment, Lung Transplant Recipient Meets Donor's Mother Lyndsey McLaughlin says she can embrace life thanks to Diana Rodriguez's son.

Nov. 28, 2013 -- Lyndsey McLaughlin and Diana Rodriguez, two New York women from different worlds, never imagined their paths would cross, let alone that a life-changing event would connect them for the rest of their lives.

But two years ago, Lyndsey, then 26, struggled for every breath she took, and it's thanks to Diana that she is alive today.

In 2011, Lyndsey was working at a hedge fund in New York and had everything she ever wanted, except for one thing: A future.

Lyndsey was dying.

"I'm 26 years old," she said at the time. "I should be out every Friday and Saturday night. I shouldsurgery, Lyndsey began her recovery. Within a few months, she was embracing her new life -- even took up surfing.

But a question continued to haunt her -- who was the person who's death gave her life? By law, organ donors must remain anonymous, so all Lyndsey knew of her donor was an 18-year-old man from New York.

"I have to remind myself… that he would have passed away whether or not I was getting his lungs," she said. "I had no control over that situation. They only thing that I can really do is live my life to the extent that I'm showing him honor."

It's highly unusual for organ donor recipients to find out who their donors were, but Lyndsey contacted the Organ donor network and discovered the donor's