Jennifer and Travis Ellis Jennifer and Travis Ellis / Zola
A former West Virginia beauty queen who received a life-saving double lung transplant is set to marry her organ donor’s brother, according to reports.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, Jennifer Skaggs (now Jennifer Ellis) was born with inversion, a rare genetic disorder in which organs grow in the opposite position.
Ellis was referred to the Cleveland Clinic for further treatment in 2015 after suffering from chronic respiratory problems and spending nearly a year in the hospital. That same year, she was named Ms. West Virginia.
In 2019, Ellis received word that her lungs were available for transplant surgery. She later shared the news in a video, writing, “It’s really bittersweet because I know that for me to get lungs, a beautiful young woman had to die.” I don’t know if it will work, but thank you.”
Five years later, after extensive healing, Ellis received a Christmas card from the family of her donor, Jill Ellis, and contacted them. From there, she stayed in touch with her family, who eventually traveled from Wisconsin to West Virginia to visit her. During that visit, Ellis met Jill’s younger brother and an unexpected romance was born.
“When I first met Travis, I thought he was the cutest guy,” Ellis told the Cleveland Clinic. “But I never thought that a thousand years later it would turn into something. Because of the distance, it wasn’t even an option in my head.”
As their relationship grew stronger, Travis moved to West Virginia to be closer to Jennifer and the Cleveland Clinic for follow-up care. He proposed by July 2023. The two married on September 28, 2024, exactly five years after Ellis’ transplant.
“By becoming an organ donor, Jill saved six lives,” Ellis said. “To me, that makes her a hero. Who wouldn’t want that? What better way to keep your legacy alive.”
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