Having a loved one in a critical care unit at a hospital can be an overwhelming experience, but it doesn’t have to be unsupportive. To help bring comfort to families, Gift of Hope Community Foundation has partnered with the Kyle Zuleg Foundation and the Live LaMore Foundation to provide the Legacy Blanket program for the families of organ and tissue donors in Illinois and northwest Indiana.
Established in 2011, the program’s goal is twofold: to provide physical comfort and warmth in hospitals, and to offer emotional support to grieving donor families at the time of a loved one’s passing.
“The sudden death of a loved one is not something you ever plan on,” said Jill Zuleg, co-founder of the Kyle Zuleg Foundation and Kyle’s mother. “If families can take some solace in the situation, we hope it will be that they’ll know they have support from a family that has been through something similar.”
A humble beginning
The Legacy Blanket program’s origins can be traced back to the evening of October 16, 2010. Kyle Zuleg was involved in an accident on a family camping trip and was rushed to the hospital with a life-threatening spinal cord injury. After transporting Kyle to a trauma center in Chicago, physicians confirmed the Zulegs’ worst fears, and the family inquired about organ donation.
“We spent a lot of time at his bedside both before making the decision to donate Kyle’s organs and after waiting for the process to complete,” said Matt Zuleg, the Kyle Zuleg Foundation’s other co-founder and Kyle’s father. “I remember we had a bedspread, but it was still really cold. That’s where we got the idea for the blankets.”
To honor those who choose and are able to give the gift of organ and tissue donation, the foundation provides monogrammed blankets to families as they too sit at the bedside. The program began as a two-person operation out of the Zuleg family garage.
“It was just Matt and I,” Jill said. “We started off with ten blankets in our garage and wanted to get them out to hospitals.”
The program didn’t stay small for long, quickly growing in popularity. The Zulegs met with Gift of Hope staff, who offered to provide more storage as well as funding for additional blankets. Today hundreds of blankets have been distributed to families in the more than 180 Gift of Hope hospitals in Illinois and northwest Indiana.
Joining forces
The LaMore family established the Live LaMore Foundation in 2023 to honor Aaron LaMore’s legacy as a father, a husband, a son, a veteran and an organ and tissue donor. The Live LaMore Foundation supports Gift of Hope Community Foundation, American Veterans Service Dogs and scholarships for Manteno High School Graduates.
“We loved the idea,” said Erin LaMore, a foundation board member. “It’s a way to provide solace to families and let them know they are not alone in their grief and that they have a reminder of comfort rather than a painful memory.”
“Gift of Hope Community Foundation fundraising efforts support donor family programs and services. We are proud to partner with the Zulegs and Lamores to provide support to donor families making the decision to share a loved one’s life with others,” said Julie Flannery, Development Director for the Gift of Hope Community Foundation. “These families know the impact of Kyle’s and Aaron’s lifesaving gifts and honoring their legacy is a privilege.”
Blankets are approximately 5’x6’, monogrammed with ‘Forever in our hearts’ and contain a card sharing the stories of both Kyle Zuleg and Aaron LaMore.
And they all shine on
Nearly 15 years later, the program is going strong and still growing. More than 900 blankets were distributed in 2024, with 1,200 estimated to be delivered in 2025.
“It’s amazing to think that our family started this in a garage and is still operating now after almost 15 years,” said Matt. “I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished in helping to carry on Kyle’s legacy.”
Erin LaMore agreed: “It’s a fantastic way to help Aaron’s memory live on while providing comfort and support to others.”
The program has received an overwhelmingly positive response from families.
“It has been popular and meaningful to people in many different ways,” Jill said. “Some bury their loved one with the blanket, while others keep it with them at home as a comforting reminder that if others can get through the loss of a loved one, so can they.”
You can make a difference too
Help support the Legacy Blanket program by contacting Gift of Hope Community Foundation to volunteer or donate. The Live LaMore Foundation also hosts an annual golf outing in July to help raise money for Gift of Hope while the Kyle Zuleg Foundation hosts events throughout the year.