When Lindsay Gutierrez joined the United States Air Force in 2010, she likely never imagined that her journey of service would one day include donating two of her own organs and posing as a 1940s-style pinup model. Today, the veteran is using her story to inspire others and highlight the importance of organ donation, all while supporting fellow service members through her involvement with the nonprofit Pin-Ups For Vets.

The organization, founded in 2006, creates vintage-inspired calendars featuring female veterans, with proceeds supporting hospitalized and deployed troops. Gutierrez, now 42, is featured as Miss March in the 2026 edition. The calendar isn't just about nostalgia or glamour; it's a platform that celebrates the resilience, strength, and ongoing contributions of women who have served in the military. Gutierrez told Fox News Digital that the opportunity "provides a chance for women veterans to showcase not just their outside beauty, but their inner beauty and the amazing accomplishments that they have done."

The mood of Gutierrez’s story is deeply uplifting, grounded in service, perseverance, and healing. After sustaining a traumatic brain injury during a deployment to Djibouti in 2014, she spent years grappling with invisible symptoms before receiving a diagnosis in 2018. That clarity opened the door to a new chapter in her life, one centered on advocacy, social work, and selfless giving—including becoming a living organ donor not once, but twice.

Gutierrez is one of only 280 people in the United States who have donated two organs. In 2022, she donated a kidney to a fellow veteran. Two years later, in April 2024, she gave 40% of her liver to an anonymous recipient. Her motivation was simple yet profound: to extend the spirit of military service into civilian life. "The whole reason I wanted to donate to another veteran in need was because [it’s] the most selfless thing you could do," she said. "It’s an extension of my military service and wearing the uniform."

Her appearance in the Pin-Ups For Vets calendar is not just a personal milestone but a continuation of that mission. The nonprofit has raised over $120,000 for rehabilitation equipment for veteran hospitals and its volunteers have visited more than 20,000 injured and ill veterans across the country. By participating, Gutierrez is helping to fund care packages for deployed troops, provide support for homeless veterans, and enhance medical care at VA facilities. For her, the calendar is a tool to reach others who may be struggling or waiting for a transplant. "We’re helping veterans in these hospital settings and different communities – that allows me to share my story and my journey to hopefully connect with somebody who is also on that transplant list and is in need of some care and hope," she explained.

Gutierrez’s path to the military began after a series of setbacks in California, where she had moved in 2009 with aspirations of becoming a special effects makeup artist. Facing financial struggles and repeated obstacles, she remembered the advice of her grandfather, who had served in the Air Force. His encouragement led her to enlist just before reaching the cutoff age. She served for six years as a security forces member, stationed at RAF Lakenheath in the U.K., with deployments to Qatar and Djibouti.

Her injury occurred during a night shift in Djibouti when the vehicle she was in lost control and rolled several times. Though she appeared physically fine, Gutierrez experienced persistent headaches and emotional changes. It took nearly four years for a VA neurologist to diagnose her with a traumatic brain injury. "Emotionally, I felt like some of my personality was a little bit different," she said. "Physically, I felt fine, minus getting all of these headaches, but you would never have been able to see just from looking at me on the outside that there was anything that was going on."

Determined to make a difference despite her health challenges, Gutierrez pursued a degree in social work and interned at a congressional office in Georgia. It was there that she encountered an ad for DOVE, a program for living kidney donation to veterans, in a rare issue of the Military Times. The timing felt serendipitous. "I decided, ‘Why not?’ I’m in pretty good health, I’m an O+ blood type… Let’s see if this is for me."

Her kidney recipient, Reggie Robinson, is an Army veteran. For Gutierrez, meeting him and knowing she gave him a second chance at life was a powerful affirmation of her decision. Her second donation, the partial liver transplant in 2024, was to an anonymous recipient. Both acts of generosity reflect her unwavering commitment to service and community.

In 2023, Gutierrez climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, a feat that symbolized her physical and emotional strength. She now emphasizes the importance of self-care and longevity—not just for herself, but for the people she’s helped. "I owe that to myself, and I owe that to the people that I donated to."

Gutierrez hopes her calendar appearance will inspire others to give back in their own ways. "You don’t have to save a life by donating an organ," she said. "You can do that simply by an act of selflessness, by going out and helping others in whatever that looks like to you." Her story is a testament to the enduring power of service and the many forms it can take—whether in uniform, through organ donation, or by simply showing up for someone in need.

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