In the 1960s, Hank and Martha Kokul met by chance on a Denver train, only to discover they lived in neighboring Chicago-area towns. “He doesn’t realize what a lucky phone call he made all those years ago,” Martha says with a laugh, remembering the moment she shared her phone number with the man who would become her husband. In fact, good fortune underscores much of their lives—from successful careers (she a nurse; he an advertising director) to a beautiful family of five, to 57 years of marriage.

But to talk to the Kokuls is to understand that luck has nothing to do with it. Hank and Martha have spent their lives giving and caring for others. They embody the very idea that those who bring joy to others cannot help but feel joy themselves. Below, the couple reflects on their lives together, their many blessings, and the reason they’ve given to Mercy Home for nearly 30 years.

Spreaing Goodwill

“First of all, we’re old: I’m 86 and my wife is 88. But I still volunteer. We’ve been doing a lot of volunteer type work for a number of years. I drive seniors to their doctor’s appointments and, up until three years ago, my wife volunteered at a local grade school. Prior to that, we had been very active in our parish.

I don’t want you to think that we’re patting ourselves on the back. It’s hard to explain, but the need to help others just lives inside of us. We’ve been fortunate; we’ve got good health. [Giving back] is just something we feel we can do and want to do,” Hank explained.

Giving Back to Mercy Home

“I enjoy seeing Mercy Home’s stories and hearing about the children’s successes. I can see that they are growing into responsible people, and I know our money is well spent. Hank and I have had such a wonderful life together that we feel we’ve got to give back,” Martha said.

“We understand that these young folks need help. They just need a helping hand so that they can become productive citizens. I appreciate knowing that Mercy Home can give them what they need and provide a good education,” added Hank. “When I see an organization like this—one that’s Catholic and doing such a good job—it sends up a flag in my mind that says, ‘this is an organization you need to support.’ And of course, we’re going to continue sharing what we can.”

Remembering Mercy Home

“We chose to include Mercy Home in our wills because we know our money will be wisely used. And after enduring such hardships, what better cause [is there] than to encourage these kids to succeed in life?”