She has a heart of gold—and more.
Lindsey Gutierrez, a former Air Force veteran and 2026 Miss March in the veterinary calendar pinup series, transitioned from military life to modeling. Along the way, she became a double organ donor, joining a select group of only 280 individuals in the U.S. who can claim this achievement.
At 42, the Oklahoma native served six years in the military, with deployments to Qatar and Djibouti, earning several Air Force Merit medals. She was also crowned Veteran American Girl in 2017.
After her honorable discharge, she came across an ad for a nonprofit organization focused on veteran organ donation and felt compelled to continue her service. In 2022, she donated her kidneys to a fellow veteran at Mount Sinai Hospital during Memorial Day weekend.
“They allowed me to choose the donation date, and since it was for veterans, I wanted it to coincide with a meaningful holiday,” Gutierrez, who currently works as a social worker for the Department of Defense, stated.
“Interestingly, I discovered that the Yankees had a home game around the same time as my anniversary weekend, which felt like a perfect match,” she added.
Just a week post-surgery, she met the recipient of her kidney, Army veterinarian Reggie Robinson, and his wife.
“I’ve gained a new family, and it was wonderful to finally connect,” Gutierrez shared, who now resides in Maryland and is pursuing a doctorate in social work.
Last year, she also donated 40% of her liver to anonymous recipients.
“We recently communicated for the first time in 15 months, and I’m hoping that we’ll meet one day,” she expressed.
Gutierrez, who hiked Mount Kilimanjaro in 2023, reported feeling “fully healthy” after her double donation, less than a year following her kidney donation.
“I’m completely back to my usual self. There’s nothing I can’t do, and I don’t take any medication. I just need to watch my diet and stay hydrated,” she noted.
This year seemed like the right time to pose for a nonprofit veteran-themed calendar, which aims to raise funds for military and veteran-focused initiatives.
“I thought it was a great platform to share my story,” she explained.
Gutierrez was thrilled to meet other women participating in the calendar during an event at Galano Winery in Mila Roma, California.
“Being in the company of fellow female veterans is both exciting and empowering,” she said.
Through her journey, Gutierrez met her husband, Anthony, who is actively serving in the Air Force. She mentioned that he supports her pinup project.
“He loves it and was really excited when I shared my plans with him,” she added.
