Army Veteran Gives the Gift of Restored Eyesight
Julian Evans
CW5 Warrant Officer
U.S. Army
“At first I couldn’t stand him,” Josie Evans laughs as she describes meeting the man she would later marry. They met as warrant officers in the Army. He made a joke about her hair cut. “We didn’t hit it off at first,” she says.
Even though his sense of humor didn’t immediately make a positive impression, Julian Evans’ kind heart and passion for helping others certainly did. “He never met a stranger,” says Josie. He moved homeless vets into our home. Anybody that came to him in any kind of need, he would help them.”
“He won so many awards and commendations,” remembers Josie, an Army veteran herself. “He was very decorated.” He spent his time mentoring and helping others, but being there for his family took precedence.
“I’ve had fifty-two surgeries,” says Josie. “There was only one he wasn’t there for. He remembered his vows before God, in sickness and in health, and he never left my side.” She remembers him as a man of great character, a man of God with a big, beautiful smile that warmed the room.
Both Josie and Julian shared a passion for education because they knew it was the key to a successful life. “We both grew up without much and leaned toward the military for our education,” she says. They both earned masters’ degrees. “Education was so key to him. He would talk to young men about how important it is,” Josie remembers.
The couple made the decision to be organ donors years ago, before they even met. It is emotional knowing there is still part of her husband that is helping others. “I cried and got excited at the thought of meeting someone who has Julian’s corneas,” says Josie. “I cried tears of joy that someone else was able to gain from our tragedy.”
Josie encourages others to consider organ, eye, and tissue donation because of the tremendous impact it can have on others. “I just think there’s no better gift than giving someone a better quality of life,” she says.
Of all the good things about her husband, Josie hopes people remember how much he cared for others. “Remember his heart and remember his service. Remember him as a man of God and as a man who gave his life in every capacity to help someone else,” she says. “Even in his death now serving other people.”
Give the gift of sight like Julian, register as an eye, organ, and tissue donor.
Thank you to Advancing Sight Network for sharing this story.
