Lifesavers for Latasha

Now that Latasha and I are almost three weeks into this heart and lung transplant journey and the dust is settling, I have been reflecting a lot about organ donorship and the family who gave Tasha the precious gift of life.

We both want to know about the donor and their story. Who were they? Did they have their own family? What were their dreams and goals? What circumstances around their tragic loss led to our miracle? How is their family doing? Do they want to know how much their sacrifice means to our family? And so much more.

All these thoughts are swirling around at the forefront of my mind. I want the donor’s family to know how important their decision was, that it will not be squandered, and that we will live to do right by them and pay it forward by being the best versions of ourselves.

I have heard a lot of opinions on why people are or are not organ donors over the years. I have been an organ donor my entire adult life because I’ve had the mindset that if I’m dying and someone can benefit from my loss, then I have a moral and ethical obligation to bestow life to my fellow man. It seems simple to me, but it is incredibly complicated for others.

I would offer this to anyone who is on the fence or doesn’t believe in that. What if that person who gets that organ goes on to save mankind or create some amazing advancement for something or just gets to be there for their own kids a little bit longer? It’s an important decision that sometimes is made at the last minute, but it should be thought out beforehand.

Do some research to understand how many people die each year because they couldn’t get an organ. The entire transplant process is very detailed, and they do not waste such a rare and lifesaving resource. I assure you that the transplant process as a whole is thorough and designed to focus on the sick and the best outcomes. It’s not perfect, but our experience has been that it works.

Tasha was one of just a hundred each year who got the rare opportunity to have a heart and double lung transplant. The odds are about the same as winning the power ball lottery but way more impactful than money.

So, for anyone who may have been on the fence, please reconsider. In the event of a tragedy, you can know that your last act of love and kindness is to bestow another family the gift of life.

That’s a legacy worth dying for.