Couple makes historic $100 million donation to California hospital

With their latest gift of $32 million to Torrance Memorial Medical Center in Torrance, California, Richard and Melanie Lundquist have given more than $100 million total over the last several years.

"It's just a fabulous organization that we're pleased to be a little part of," Richard Lundquist told ABC Los Angeles. The philanthropists believe in the strength of community hospitals and their ability to provide excellent care to local residents. Through this latest donation, two new institutes will be created — one for orthopedics, the other for neuroscience. "It's really important that people across the country recognize if you live in the wrong ZIP code, you might be DOA," Melanie Lundquist said.

Melanie Lundquist served as a volunteer at the hospital in the 1980s, and after having this behind-the-scenes look, was inspired to give back in a different way. In a statement, the hospital, founded in 1925, said that $100 million is the largest known contribution from one donor to a non-teaching/non-research hospital in the United States.

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