by Vince Hernandez Recently my wife and I attended a very moving ceremony. My son Stephen, while on the way to work about a year and a half ago, was in a freak accident that resulted in his death. The front wheel came off his bike, he went over the handlebars and wound up in hospital with severe head injuries. He died about three days later. It was a tragic event, heartrending to many people. The only part of the whole process that could be called “good” or “fortunate” was the fact Stephen had signed up to be an organ donor. Because he had done that, several people continued to live.
The event we attended was a donor medal ceremony by BC Transplant to honour organ donors and their families. It was held in Vancouver at Cecil Green House, University of British Columbia.
The first speaker was a lovely lady, about 30, who was infected by hepatitis A when she was in her teens. She told how sick she was and how close she came to dying. As she took us through her story, we could almost feel the agony of her illness and the wonderful thrill when she woke up, after the transplant operation, actually feeling good again.
The next speaker was the father of a boy who needed a transplant when he was a baby. You could tell that the father would have given his own heart, at that time, if it had been possible. What a joy it was when a suitable heart was found, the operation was done, and it was successful. It was joy mixed with sadness, however, for the father (like all the recipients) was very aware that in order for his son to live, someone else died.
On the other side of the coin, a woman, about 60, spoke of losing her son, an energetic and successful man in his 20s. She was devastated. For a very long time she railed against God or whatever unfair act of fate it was that resulted in her son’s death and caused her so much pain. Then, one day, she received a letter from one of the people who was alive because of her son. While she still felt the loss, and the pain (and I suppose she always will), she did feel somewhat better knowing at least some good resulted from the disaster. She now does volunteer work for BC Transplant. I am sure that everything she does is, in her heart, a tribute to her son.
We will always miss Stephen, but somehow it does help a little bit to know that somewhere out there a part of him is still alive, and because of him other people are living. I hope one of them writes us a letter one of these days.
I am writing hoping that if you read this, and have not already done so, it will move you to sign up as an organ donor. Remember if, God forbid, you should in fact become a donor, you will not only help some people in desperate need of help, but you will probably be helping your own family as well.
It is easy to be a donor. You can call 1.800.663.6189, visit BC Transplant online or email [email protected].
Vince Hernandez has worked and lived in Powell River for over 35 years.
