GAYLORD, MI -- Christmas is a special time for all of us.

For one Gaylord woman, it's a time to reflect on how she was given a gift that allows her to be with her family every year.

"Each moment is a gift, and for me, it's a blessing to be alive every day," said Holly Werlein.

Life can sometimes throw you curveballs.  For 26-year old Holly Werlein, hers came four and a half years ago, when her liver failed.  She didn't know it was failing until she went to the Cleveland Clinic.

“My liver enzymes were in the two-thousands, and they're supposed to only be in the teens, so this three day trip turned into a month's stay," she said.

A liver biopsy showed Holly's liver was functioning at 20 percent.  She said you need 40 percent to live.  Doctors made her a priority.

“Status one first in the nation, and within eight hours, they found a potential donor, and it's miraculous, it's a miracle I'm alive, I mean, seriously."

At 21-years old, Holly was saved by the liver of a man she didn't know.  It was a long process of rehab, her liver rejected during the process, but four and a half years later, she's now living a normal life.  She's joined the donor-recipient fraternity that exists world-wide.  She's been in the World Transplant Games, the "Olympics" for people who have had a transplant, and stays in contact with other donor recipients.  She's started her business of awareness, called Hol-Doll Wear, in which she sells her self-designed stamps and shirts that promote "Donate Life."  And this year, during Christmas time, she sent out letters to 40 of her friends worldwide, who have been a recipient of the gift of life.  She also wrote a special letter to the donor family, who is so special during the holiday season...

“For Christmas, I wrote up a note, and actually asked them to meet, to see if they're comfortable with that, and so we'll see what they'll have to say, I would love to meet the people who have made the decision to give me the gift of life, because if they hadn't, I wouldn't be here today."

She says it'd be great to meet that family, but as she waits for the moment, she will continue working on making the Gift of Life something everybody knows they can share.

Holly Werlein- hwerlein@hotmail.com

Michigan Gift of Life- www.giftoflifemichigan.org