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 from what was being lost to what was being given. That perspective became a source of deep pride and healing.

But for Elita and her family, donation was never just a single moment, it was a thread woven throughout their entire lives. Elita’s son was born with significant medical challenges and received his first kidney transplant at just 3 years old. Now 22 and thriving, he is living proof of the kindness of strangers. Elita’s husband is also a cornea recipient whose world was quite literally brightened by someone else’s selfless decision.

Touched by donation three times over, Elita and her family know better than most that you never truly know who around you has been lifted up, healed, or given more time because someone chose to give the gift of life.