ELIOT, Maine - When Karen Denault closes her eyes, she can still see her 16-year-old daughter dancing around the house singing her favorite song "Never Had a Dream Come True."

Memories like those are all Denault has left of her daughter, who was killed two years ago when she crossed the road to get the mail.

But on Friday, Denault will have much more than memories of her beautiful daughter; she will have a dream come true.

Denault will meet the man who was given her daughters heart after her death.

"Ive never given up on that dream," Denault said. "I want to put my head on his chest and here my daughters heartbeat."

Nichole Miller would have been putting on her cap and gown for her high school graduation tonight at Marshwood High School. She would have taken her boyfriend to the prom and been making plans for a graduation party.

Her smile, which so many say they will never forget, would have been in photo after photo. Flowers would have been in her hand, because she had planned to enter the Flora Culture Program at Marshwood.

While her absence will be felt on Friday by all, her family, as well as her heart, will be there.

Last week, Denault picked up her phone to speak with a 62-year-old man from Fall River, Mass., whom she had never met before.

"It was the hardest and easiest phone call Ive ever had to make in my life," Denault said.

When Manual Costa answered the phone, Denault told him through tears that it was her daughters heart that was beating inside of him.

In an emotional conversation, Denault asked him if he would want to attend Nicholes graduation with her and her family.

"Ive never experienced so much feeling for someone I dont even know," said Denault.

While Costa said he is very nervous about meeting Nicholes family, he also said he has been waiting for this day.

"Not a day goes by that I dont think about Nichole and her whole family and wonder what they went through when Nichole passed away," Costa said. "I couldnt believe someone so young and so beautiful died, and here I am because of her. Its something very difficult and hard to express."

Denault had donated every organ of Nicholes that she could, saving 19 lives.

Two years ago, a trip up three or four steps left Costa winded because a disease called cardiomyopathy enlarged his left ventricle until the muscle became thick and began closing.

Costa said he remembers laying in the hospital bed for 2½ weeks waiting for a new heart.

He overheard doctors discussing a "perfect match" for a heart transplant that had just come in from a 16-year-old girl.

"I didnt believe it," Costa said, thinking he must have heard wrong. He laid in bed, thinking, "God, its in your hands now. Do Your will."

When he woke up, Costa said "It was a miracle. I just laid there and said, My God, I can breath all by myself."

From the minute his eyes reopened, Costa said his life has been completely different.

Now, he has more energy and looks at the world in a different light.

"I want to live everyday as if its my last," Costa said. "I feel more compassion toward others."

He also felt a need to reach out to the donors family and thank them for saving his life.

But there are rules and regulations that do not allow for donors to contact families unless the family makes the first move.

So as the years passed, Costa often tried to imagine whose heart it was that beat inside of him, and noticed as strange little changes that took over him.

Now, when a challenge faces him, he said he takes it head on and doesnt stop until he finishes.

"I look at the day differently," Costa said. "I see more."

Even his eating habits have changed.

"I have feelings I that I never had before," Costa said. "Everybody loves chocolate, and I did too, but now I have to nibble on chocolate all the time ... and noodle soup! I couldnt even stand the smell of it before, and now I love it."

It wasnt until he spoke with Denault that he realized, this was Nicholes way of living on through him.

"Nichole loved Ramen Noodle soup!" Denault told Costa laughing, then more seriously, "Hes helping her to live on, just as she helped him to live on."

Now, Denault and Costa speak every day for hours at a time, discussing different aspects of Nichole.

"There was a connection when we spoke," Costa said. "It was very familiar, like I know her."

Denault agreed, saying there was almost a family-like relationship that formed from the first time they spoke.

Both say they are nervous about the first meeting, though.

"Im here because of Nichole," Costa said. "Im here because Nichole wanted to live on. I only hope I am a worthy vessel of her beauty."

Denault said when they talk, she knows it was meant to be.

"The more I talk about her, the more I make her live on," Denault said. "Her dream was to help people, and thats exactly what shes doing by living on through Manny."

Denault is not the only one who promises to keep Nicholes spirit alive.

Nichole also was recognized by her fellow classmates Wednesday night during their convocation ceremony.

In an emotional tribute, 10 of her classmates played a song in her honor. Keene remembered their friend Nicole as "very compassionate, warm-hearted, with a positive attitude and outlook on life."

Keene presented an engraved copy of the MHS yearbook, "The Reed," to Nicoles family.

On the graduation, "Manny" Costa said nothing could be more exciting then being able to meet Nicholes family.

Tonight, Denaults dream will come true. She will place her head against Costas chest and listen to her daughters heart beating.

"If thats whats going to bring peace to her and put Nichole at rest and allow her to know that Nichole is alive through me, than thats one of the greatest gifts I can give her," Costa said.