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.
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Will
After losing her brother, Will, Hannah is finding comfort in knowing his decision to become a donor gave others a second chance at life. She shares how his legacy continues to make an impact and why having conversations about organ, eye and tissue donation matters. “He was everything to so many people,” Hannah said. “He […]
Clayton
Beth and Larry Sparks will always remember their son Clayton as kindhearted, full of life, and the kind of person who made everyone feel like they belonged. In 2019, Clayton died at just 24 years old. Before his death, he made the decision to be an organ donor. That decision now lives on in multiple […]
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 […]