A young girl with great heart died last week. Lisa Speltie's odds on a long life weren't good when she was born with a damaged heart. Six days later, she received a donated one.

In the 14 years since then, Lisa became a symbol of courage and hope for many, including her family in Temecula and her friends at Guajome Park Academy in Vista.

"She came to me for inspiration," Bob Schmeiser said Wednesday. "If anybody was inspired, it was me."

Schmeiser met Lisa five years ago when he was still a California Highway Patrol officer at the agency's Oceanside office. With the support of family, friends and fellow officers, Schmeiser had battled back from cancer.

Lisa had read about the motorcycle officer's struggle and wanted to meet him. It was arranged through Make-A-Wish, the foundation that helps grant special wishes for extremely ill children.

"When I met her, she was 9," Schmeiser said. "She wasn't expected to make it to 10."

As the small girl and the big Highway Patrol officer immediately hugged each other at the agency's office, there was hardly a dry eye in the packed room.

"It was very humbling to me," said Schmeiser, now 50 and retired. "I've never quite gotten used to the idea that this little girl wanted so desperately to meet me."

Impressed with Lisa's bravery, he has kept in touch with her and her family.

"Not one time did I ever hear her complain," Schmeiser said.

Lisa's single father, 41-year-old Jeff Speltie, has been a custodian for 19 years at Vista High School.

Just before Lisa met Schmeiser, students, faculty and staff at the school had raised $2,300 to send Speltie and his terminally ill daughter to Hawaii for a memorable vacation.

"Lisa's drive to enjoy life was the best part," Speltie said.

In recent years he and his oldest daughter, 18-year-old Heather, have worked with Lisa to develop a dog biscuit business. Using healthy food for dogs, they would make 300 to 400 biscuits on Saturdays in the family kitchen.

"It was the help of many different people that helped me to be a good parent," Speltie said.

Lisa liked to hang out with her friends and read the newspaper, he said. His daughter was getting ready to graduate from eighth grade this spring.

The optimistic teen also was working on a new comic book. The cheery first edition, featuring family dogs Yateeh and Dine, was still in progress.

"The CHP encouraged her to look at her illness as 'Do the best you can. Don't let your illness get you down,' " Speltie said. "She knew that her demise could come any time soon. That's why she developed the comic book, so that people could remember her with happy thoughts."

Speltie said he is trying to continue "The Great Chase," using Lisa's story-line notes. Lisa wanted to donate any profits from the comic book to Children's Hospital in San Diego and Make-A-Wish, he said.

Donations sent to the Lisa Speltie Memorial Fund, set up through Bank of America, will go to the hospital and Make-A-Wish, Speltie said. Checks made out to the fund may be sent to P.O. Box 2808, Vista, CA 92085.

The thing he will remember most about his daughter, Speltie said, was "her enthusiasm to do things right."

"She always wanted to do something better for tomorrow," he said. "She was always helpful."

On Feb. 16, he took Lisa to the hospital for a regular checkup. Speltie said she told him she had a bad headache and blurred vision.

"She said, 'Dad, I don't think I'm going to make it this time,'" said Speltie.

He said he tried to encourage her, but Lisa insisted that any useful organs she had be donated to others.

Despite the best efforts of doctors, Speltie said, Lisa died of an aneurysm. He said he honored his daughter's wishes for organ donations, because "she wanted to give a gift of life to other people."

"An incredible young lady," said Sharon Ross, spokeswoman for Lifesharing Community Organ and Tissue Donation in San Diego. "We were able to recover two corneas."

At 2 p.m. Sunday, Lisa's life will be remembered by family and friends at the North Coast Church in Vista.

Speltie said the memorial service at 1132 N. Melrose Drive will be open to the public, because "Lisa loved everyone."

Contact staff writer Jo Moreland at (760) 740-3425 or jmoreland@nctimes.com.