Written by Dylan’s Mom, Juanita Mair:
Late a late night of July 2021, Dylan, a perfectly healthy 31-year-old, had suffered a brain aneurysm. There was no chance of survival. He had the red heart on his driver’s license, and died under circumstances that allowed him to be a donor.
By the time we arrived in OKC, Dylan’s lungs, liver, and both kidneys had all been allocated. Four different families waited anxiously for his heart to find a suitable recipient, so their loved one’s surgeries could be scheduled. Several potential recipients were too sick to even have a transplant. One needed both heart and lungs. One was in Washington state, too far to transport a heart. Several responses came back, “It’s too big.” Dylan’s wife Angie, a neonatal nurse practitioner, told us those would be children, whose chest cavities were not big enough to accommodate an adult-sized heart. Finally, a match was made with a 71-year old man in Texas, and surgery was scheduled for July 5. Dylan would have turned 32 on July 6.
Being a donor family was amazing, educational, over-whelming, and humbling. Doctors flew Dylan’s lungs to Texas, where they were transplanted into a 43-year-old man. His liver traveled to Colorado, saving a 54-year-old man. His right kidney made its way to a 24-year-old man in Texas. During the honor walk to surgery, in the very same hospital, a 38-year-old Oklahoma man was being prepped to receive Dylan’s left kidney. Donation didn’t make his death easy, but it still provides, a measure of solace, knowing people benefitted.
This miracle of transferring life-saving organs from one human to another was facilitated by Life Share nurses. During a shift, a Life Share nurse sent out organ offers and fielded responses. They provided in-room care, and arranged flights for surgeons coming to OKC. They comforted Angie, Randy, and me as we grieved. The nurse on shift during Dylan’s surgery assisted in the operating room. I overhead her tell a coworker, “This is my first thoracic. I am so excited.” They accompanied us outside to a Donate Life flag raising ceremony. Every one of them said it was the most fulfilling job they had ever had.
Less than 1% of hospital deaths result in donation of life-saving organs. Patients need to be on life support so organs remain viable. EMTs can’t say, “Relax. Take a half hour to decide about donating your child’s organs.” They need to know now! Have the talk about organ donation today. Hopefully, you won’t get the “opportunity” to be a donor family, but if you do, you could literally save someone’s life.
Thank you Dylan. 💚💙A life saving Hero to so many and inspiration to us all 💙💚
