This story begins with a pair of stunning green eyes. The green eyes that made Tess fall in love at first sight when she met Jose the day after she graduated high school. Upon meeting Jose Cortinas, she knew she had found the love of her life. From that day on, Tess and Jose were inseparable. Three years later, on May 20 Tess and Jose would marry and go on to have two children, Amanda and Jose Jr.
Jose was a rugged cowboy type, outdoorsy, cowboy hat, boots type of guy. He had a love of riding horses, dedicated to his family and ranch. A first-generation Texan, he was patriotic and proud to display the U.S. flag on his property in Brownsville. He loved collecting antiques, rebuilding trucks, remodeling his home, barbecues, hanging out with family and friends while joking and dancing with everyone. A helper, the type to give the button-up plaid shirt off his back.
Jose lived 32 happy years with Tess, until he passed away in May 2023. He was 50 years old. His passing brought upon some unexpected news – he had chosen to be a tissue donor. “They [the donor coordinator] called us and asked us if we would like to donate his eyes and tissue. I didn’t even know until that phone call,” Tess said. “The decision was his own. And when I went to check his driver’s license, sure enough, there was a heart on it.”
Tess believes Jose was affected by his sister, who was given a kidney from a donor years before. His selflessness inspired his family to register as donors and see the impact it makes. Jose’s gorgeous green eyes would see yet again. His corneas traveled to Japan, where they helped two people: an 85-year-old woman suffering from glaucoma and a man in his early 40s. “For him to know that his corneas were being placed in someone else, so they can see and have those experiences, I’m sure he would have been flabbergasted,” Tess said. “He gave his all to everything. Knowing his giddy personality, he would have found it hilarious that a Mexican man’s “eyes” made it all the way to Japan.”
It’s been a year since his passing, and although it’s been tough for Tess, she feels Jose nearby. Jose’s family honors his legacy twice a year: May 3, the day of his passing and his birthday, July 23. “He’s a hero,” Tess said. “He’s a hero to his family and friends, and to the two strangers that received his corneas. It’s very important to keep his name alive because he did something special for others he didn’t even know.” Because on the other side of the world, two people are seeing the world through Jose’s gorgeous, green eyes.
