Mark Korinek and Jacci Clark met at the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Center. He was a (very) frequent donor, she was one of the phlebotomists who drew his blood. When the longtime friends fell in love and decided to get married, Mark knew there was just one place to propose: The place where their story began.  

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Mark Korinek looked at his Garmin Watch and noticed his pulse was elevated.

Mark, an ultramarathoner, wasn't worried. He knew exactly why his heart was racing. He'd soon be proposing to Jacci Clark at the place they met, in front of many of their friends.

There was just one thing he needed to do first: roll up his sleeve and donate blood — for the 499th time.

A match made at the Blood Donor Center

Blood donation is a critical need for hundreds of Mayo Clinic patients, taking approximately 100 donors a day to meet the need. For donors, it can be a meaningful way to contribute to other people's healing and recovery. For Mark and Jacci, it would eventually contribute to their own healing and recovery from grief.

The two met when Jacci, who spent the final 20 years of her 32-year Mayo Clinic career as a phlebotomist at the Blood Donor Center, drew Mark's blood.

As one of Mayo Clinic's most prolific donors, Mark, a biomedical engineer in a medical imaging resource lab at Mayo Clinic, has visited the center about twice a month for many years. As a platelet donor, he can donate every eight days helping meet the constant demand for platelets, which is a critical resource for patients undergoing cancer treatments or major surgeries.

"Everyone who volunteers to donate blood, whether it's whole blood or platelets, contributes to our mission — and is part of the lifesaving care provided at Mayo Clinic," says Kristen Ruby, D.O., medical director for the Blood Donor Program. "Each and every donation makes a difference, helping save up to three lives. We try to honor and celebrate every volunteer who chooses to donate."

Arc of the friendship

Over the years — with each platelet donation taking 90 minutes and whole blood donations only taking 60 minutes — Mark has gotten to know the staff well and to consider many of them, including Jacci, like family.

Mark and Jacci's connection developed through the many things they had in common, particularly their shared faith.

One day Mark's best friend, also a frequent blood donor, asked Jacci to pray for Mark, who was going through an extremely difficult loss. During a blood collection months later, Mark shared with Jacci the grief he had been experiencing. Jacci listened and committed to pray for him.

Three years later, Jacci retired and her husband received a terminal diagnosis. A few months after he passed, Mark reached out to Jacci as a friend. They met for coffee — and what was supposed to be a brief connection stretched into three hours as they talked and cried. In Mark, Jacci found someone who understood the devastating loss of a spouse.

For a time, Jacci's deep grief kept her from being up for coffee again. But after a few months had passed, she reached out to Mark to ask if he would be willing to spend time together as friends. He agreed.

One night when Jacci was feeling unbearably low, she decided to stop at Mark's house to see if he wanted to get something to eat. They ran through the rain to a burger place near his home.

That night, something changed in their friendship. They laughed over something silly until their stomachs hurt. Neither of them could remember laughing that hard in years.

Friendship turns into love

Over the next 10 months, Mark and Jacci went on countless walks, hikes, bike rides and adventures. They shared many more tearful talks. And they fell in love.

Asked what she likes most about Mark, Jacci calls out his enthusiasm.

"His nickname is Tigger," she says, referring to the ever-cheerful Winnie-the-Pooh character. "It's like he bounces."

Mark praises Jacci's faith, her smile and her ability to listen.

"We complement one another," he says.

Perfect place to propose

When Mark and Jacci decided to get married, Mark knew there was only one place he wanted to propose.

"It's not the Eiffel Tower or a gondola in Venice, but it's where we met," Mark says.

It's also a place where the couple has a lot of special connections.

"The people at the Blood Donor Center are family," he says

That family has been delighted to see love bloom between the longtime friends.

"I'm so happy Jacci and Mark found each other after all they have been through," says Lisa Haglund, a phlebotomist at the center. "They both have a passion for God and they both work hard for others."

Jenny Bradt, also a phlebotomist, agrees.

"It makes me so happy for them both," Bradt says. "They are a perfect couple. They also make others happy, and we are all so blessed to know them."

On Feb. 25, the couple made it official in the place where their story began. After donating platelets together, Mark asked Jacci to sit down in the Blood Donor Center's refreshment area.

"I have given my blood to 499 different people," Mark said to her. "Today, I want to give you my heart."

He then got down on one knee and asked Jacci to marry him. Her emphatic "yes" was followed by cheers, tears, handshakes and hugs from their Blood Donor Center family. 

"It's amazing to be engaged and sharing life," Mark says. "Life is full of surprises."

Editor's note: Mark and Jacci will be married in June.

Your donation story

Your donation story may not be the same as Mark's, but to patients in need, every donor story is extraordinary. 

To schedule your blood donation appointment or find out if you are eligible to donate blood, call the Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Center today at 507-284-4475 or book through the new Donor Dashboard.

Where to donate blood

Here's where you can donate blood:

Downtown Rochester
 The Downtown Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Center is located on the main floor of the Hilton Building and is open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Parking is free.

Northwest Rochester
The Northwest Mayo Clinic Blood Donor Center is located in the 4115 Building of the 41st Street Professional Building and is open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Parking is free.

Call 507-284-4475 today to schedule an appointment at either location.

Learn more

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