My family’s life was forever changed when my husband Kevin suffered from a brain aneurysm very unexpectedly and was pronounced brain dead within 24 hours after the aneurysm occurred. Kevin was 53 years old and we were in shock at his sudden death. Kevin was a loving husband and father. Professionally, he was a heating and cooling service technician for over 30 years, where he was valued and loved by many. Kevin was not a registered organ donor but when I was asked if we would like for my husband to be an organ donor, I felt an overwhelming yes, come to mind based on the type of person he was, and how he loved to serve and help others anyway that he could personally and professionally. I truly felt in my heart that I made the right decision and it brought my family peace, knowing that he would live on in others through his organ donation. Within a few days after the passing of my husband, I received a box in the mail from MidAmerica Transplant. The box contained donate life bracelets and a tie blanket with bass fish on it, and ironically Kevin loved to fish. I immediately placed a bracelet on my wrist and I was told that the tie blanket was made by volunteers and is laid on the donor during their time at MidAmerica Transplant. This meant so much to me and my family. The same day that I received the box in the mail from MidAmerica Transplant, I found a donate life bracelet lying in the console of Kevin‘s work van. I had no idea how Kevin received the bracelet, but I felt confirmation on the decision I had made for him to be an organ donor. Yet, I still wondered how he had gotten the bracelet since he was not a registered organ donor. I began volunteering for MidAmerica Transplant in 2019 and in December of 2021 while I was attending a blanket making volunteer event, I encountered a meeting with a former customer of Kevin’s. He had been her service technician for 30 years in his profession. We shared our stories with each other of how we were brought to volunteer at MidAmerica. Her husband had been a liver recipient, and I told her that Kevin was an organ donor and saved four lives with the donation of his lung, liver and kidneys. I showed her the donate life bracelet on my wrist, which was the one I found in Kevin’s van and I shared his donor story with her. I expressed how I knew I had made the right decision but always wondered where Kevin had gotten the donate like bracelet we found in his work van. She held my hands and looked me in the eyes and said, “It was me, I gave Kevin the donate life bracelet.” She explained that Kevin saw the bracelet laying on her table when he was at her house for a service call and asked if he could have one and expressed that he would like to be an organ donor. We both began to cry, and my prayer had been answered. I have received correspondence from two of the organ recipients, one recipient received Kevin’s liver on her birthday and they both expressed what a truly like changing gift it has been for them. Organ and tissue donation not only blesses the recipient and their family, it also immensely blesses the donor family to know that a part of their loved one lives on in others as it provides a renewed hope and life to carry forward. If you have registered to be a donor, please make sure your family knows your wishes and if not, please consider registering to be an organ and tissue donor. It will impact the life of others as well as your own life. I am grateful and honored that my husband is an organ donor hero and a part of this life, saving organization at MidAmerica Transplant.
