NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - More than 3,000 Tennesseans are currently waiting for a life-saving organ transplant — a gift that will likely come from a stranger.

Manuel Rodriguez was one of those strangers. While his life was cut short, the generosity he showed in his final moments has continued to inspire his family and those who knew him.

Rodriguez, a husband, father, and farmer in Bedford County, dedicated his life to building a future for his family. From a young age, he chased the American dream with determination.

“There’s always a way. You just have to find it,” Dana Rodriguez said. She says Manuel always followed those words.

Those words guided him as he built a life with Dana and their son, Luke, on the farm he loved.

Sixteen months ago, that dream came to a tragic end.

“I gave

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