December 23, 2015

by Rosalin Moss

The Mississippi Club

Rob Robinson, Forever Outdoors

What started out as a turkey hunting adventure turned into a life-changing and live-saving event that has resulted in a continuous effort to help others live.  Rob Robinson became friends with a property owner, Gil Alexander, who had given him permission to hunt on his land, and after becoming aware of his new friend's illness, Robinson donated one of his kidneys.  Since becoming an organ donor in 2012, Robinson has been on a mission to bring awareness to the benefit of organ donations and to encourage sign-up to become a registered organ donor.  This mission has also brought into being Forever Outdoors, an outdoor venture that helps others (organ donor recipients, veterans, disabled individuals, etc.) to experience outdoor activities like hunting and fishing at no charge. 

Robinson is an active Starkville firefighter of 18 years.  Prior to donating one of his kidneys to Gil Alexander, he was not an organ donor although he had considered doing so from time  to time.  Being moved by his friend's condition, Robinson sought divine guidance through meditation and prayer and was led to get tested and donate one of his kidneys when he was found to be a match.  When asked if he had any adverse effects from his organ donation, Rob assured me that he is in good shape and had no regrets.  He stated that he had participated in a 5k marathon in Houston, Texas, last year in 100° heat without any problems.  He also continues to serve as a firefighter in Starkville, Mississippi. 

After seeing what an organ donation had done for his friend Alexander, Robinson has been working to help other organ donor recipients, veterans, and the disabled to enjoy the outdoors at no expense.  Alexander has been working with Robinson to accomplish this goal and one of their recent outdoor ventures was taking a group of veterans on a deer hunt in Kansas, something the veterans probably would never have done otherwise.  Robinson plans to turn his home in Mississippi into a lodge, and Alexander is donating property to build a hunting lodge in Kansas.  While these plans are in the works and funding and support is being sought, Robinson is diligent in his mission to inform and recruit potential organ donors through his Forever Outdoors Facebook page where you will find a link to the Donate Life web page.  On the Donate Life page, you can register to become an organ, eye and tissue donor.  Everyone is invited to "LIKE" and follow Forever Outdoors, especially those who have received donated organs, organ donors or those who want to become organ donors.  The Forever Outdoors page is also a place to share organ donor and outdoor adventure stories and photographs.   

One of the things Robinson would like to emphasize is that "One person can make a difference.  I never knew how much difference an organ donor can make.  A man told me his son died and 58 people benefited.  Just one person can make a huge difference in someone's life."

--Rosalin Moss aka Mississippi Traveler

December 23, 2015