Mike Schmitt and his wife, Shawna, on vacation in Mexico, February 2010.

Jan. 28, 2006, was probably the most important day in Mike Schmitt’s life — so significant that he had it tattooed on his arm.

At 2:15 p.m., Schmitt got a phone call that he was a match for a pair of lungs from LifeSource, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and changing lives through organ and tissue donation in the Upper Midwest.

Schmitt, 37, a St. Cloud real estate agent who lives in Clearwater, was born with cystic fibrosis. As a child, he was able to do what most kids did but as he grew older his breathing began to deteriorate.

In 2003, he was told he probably would need a bilateral lung transplant. By fall of 2005, he was at the top of the organ donation recipient list because his condition was so serious.

“I remember every detail about that day,” he said. “My wife and I had company and were just finishing up the dishes when I got the call telling me they had a pair of lungs from an organ donor. I had two hours to get to the University of Minnesota for my transplant.

“I immediately called my parents — we had agreed ahead of time that they would be the ones we would call. They were just heading into a movie, but dropped everything.  In less than a half hour, we were in the car heading for the Cities.”

Schmitt’s transplant was successful. After his nine-hour surgery, he spent two months in the hospital. Today, he lives an active life and enjoys golfing, water skiing, traveling and spending time with family and friends. He knows the importance of organ donation.