Hecky Powell (right) with living liver donor James Copeland. Copeland, a construction worker in Burnsville, Minn., was approached later in the process after some donors were disqualified. “I had an opportunity to help somebody out,” he said. | Photo courtesy of Genie Lemieux

Evanston restaurateur Hecky Powell gets settled in before his 2011 liver transplant procedure, which lasted 11 hours for him, and nearly four hours for his living liver donor, James Copeland. | Photo courtesy of Genie Lemieux

Hecky Powell (right) with his "angel," Dr. Laura Kulik, a liver-transplant specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Kulik played a key role, taking on Powell's case after he had received a grim diagnosis of end-stage liver cance last year. | Photo courtesy of Genie Lemieux

Doctors Laura Kulik (left), a liver-transplant specialist, and Dr. Frank Weschler, Powell’s primary physician in Glenview, flank their patient. Weschler made the call to Kulik when things looked dire for Powell last year. | Photo courtesy of Genie Lemieux

Dr. Frank Weschler (right), Hecky Powell's primary care medical doctor in Glenview, celebrates with his patient (center). Weschler made a key call after doctors had diagnosed Powell with end-stage liver cancer. | Photo courtesy of Genie Lemieux

Evanston restaurateur Hecky Powell (right) reassures his mother, Verna Powell, that everything is going to be fine prior to his liver transplant surgery last year. “You never want to worry your mother,” he says. | Photo courtesy of Genie Lemieux