Stories of Hope
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.
More Stories
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 […]
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 […]