Heart Recipient Visits Donor’s School

Richie Steele graduated from Jasper County High School in 2011 and was involved in an automobile accident that took his life on December 30, 2013. Months before he died, he made his wishes clear that he desired to be an organ donor.

On January 1, 2014, Richie Steele gave the gift of life.

On Monday, May 4, the man who received Richie’s heart that New Year’s Day walked the same hallways and entered the same classrooms where Richie went to school.

Lance Cunha received his heart transplant in 2014, and he recently visited Monticello and Jasper County High School.

During his visit, he met Richie’s sister, Savannah Steele, and his brother, Ryan Nelson, for the first time.

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“I was also overjoyed that he was able to meet Marcia Hopper, who taught both me and my sisters and all three of my children,” said Belinda Schell, Richie’s mother.

“With her retiring and her being my absolute favorite teacher, this meant a lot to me for her to meet him,” continued Mrs. Schell.

Richie’s mother said that Mr. Cunha also met with teachers that Richie thought highly of, including Gary Cooper, Tyson Harty, Chris Savage, Elizabeth Proctor and Brian Davis.

Mr. Cunha also got the opportunity to speak with the students and talk to them about his journey. He was accompanied by his wife Mary and Richie’s parents, Belinda and Jeff Schell.

He also visited Ingles, where Richie worked, where he met with his co-workers. They also went to the cemetery where Mr. Cunha’s wife placed flowers on Richie’s grave.

Richie’s heart continues to beat inside Mr. Cunha, who is an expert in international business. Mr. Cunha received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013 from Ithaca College, his alma mater. He served as an adjunct instructor in the business schools at the University of Notre Dame and Emory University and was a partner with the financial firms of Deloitte and Arthur Anderson. He has two daughters and four grandchildren.

Mr. Cunha is the second person Richie’s family has met that has benefitted from the gift that Richie gave.