Stories of Hope
Aurora
When Krystal and Tom lost their 5-year-old daughter, Aurora, in 2024, their world changed forever. Krystal describes Aurora as ‘joy-personified’. She was always singing, dancing, and finding a way to make the people around her feel loved. Even in her final moments, Aurora’s love and generosity lived on, carrying forward through organ donation.
“When she left, it felt like the only right decision was to donate,” Krystal shared. “In fact, one of her favorite movies, ‘Frozen 2’, has a song called ‘The Next Right Thing,’ and it’s something that helped me to make that decision along with her father.”
In the hardest moment of their lives, they thought about Aurora and the way she always reached out to others. Choosing to help others felt like a meaningful way to honor her.
Tom recalls sharing one of life’s important lessons with Aurora, saying, “Look out for the helpers in life. You will always find people who are helping,” inspired by Mr. Rogers.
“She saved the life of a nurse,” shared Krystal. “It’s pretty powerful that my little girl got to help a helper.”
Aurora’s generosity brought hope and healing to many families, and her legacy lives on in the lives she saved. She was honored by her family organizing the 2nd largest team at this year’s Wyoming Donor Dash 5K in Casper, walking alongside others whose lives have been touched by organ, eye, and tissue donation. Aurora’s legacy continues to shine in every life she touched.
More Stories
Rita
Rita believed that generosity was a way of life. “I am always blessed to receive because I am always willing to give,” she would often say. When Rita passed away in 2023, her daughter, Elita, found solace in those very words. Knowing her mother had chosen to be an organ donor helped shift her focus […]
Kelsi
Kelsi was 23 when doctors diagnosed her with adult idiopathic scoliosis and told her she’d eventually lose the ability to walk. Surgery was her only chance to live a normal life and a tissue donor was her best chance at a successful surgery. Her pain was already debilitating, but with a curve that was increasing […]
Dustyn
“He had a heart of gold. He would do anything for anybody,” recalls Laura, remembering her son Dustyn, who passed away in 2015 at the age of 30. Those who knew him best describe Dustyn as kind, warm, and endlessly generous. He had a deep love for animals and a spirit that made people feel […]