A letter from a donor mother

It’s been said many times before; no parent should ever lose a child. However on February 20, 1996, only four days after my son Clayton received his driver’s license, we did lose him. Clayton was driving home from school one day, his car ran off the road, he overcorrected and crossed the centerline. Clayton was critically injured after being hit by an oncoming car…that day changed my life forever.

While dealing with the issue of losing Clayton, my husband and I made the decision for Clayton to become an organ donor. After all, Clayton and I had this discussion about a year before, while he was applying for his driver’s license. That was his wish; he knew that organ donation was the right thing for him to do. It might have been a harder decision if I had not known what his wishes were, but through Clayton’s wonderful act of giving, he helped the lives of 43 people through organ and tissue donation.

During our decision to donate, my family sat with a representative from LifeLink to discuss the donation process. We decided to donate everything we could. The representative was very professional, yet compassionate and caring as he explained the donation process in full detail. We felt secure in knowing that Clayton would be taken care of by LifeLink’s staff. My husband and I kissed our gifted and loving 16-year-old son good-bye one last time.

Clayton’s heart, liver, one kidney, and eyes were donated to five recipients, other tissues helped dozens of patients. I received a letter from the liver recipient not long after his donation. This letter brought an inner peace and comfort to me knowing that our family made the right decision. In 2000, I met the most energetic and wonderful woman ever, a ballet teacher, who received Clayton’s heart. She and I have become very good friends and she continues to touch the lives of children as she teaches. She is a joy to talk with and she lives on through the gracious donation of my son.

Donation in my family has come full-circle. Less than two years after Clayton’s donation, I suffered an injury which would require a bone graft either from a deceased donor or myself. I received the donor graft and my injured knee was repaired. Organ and tissue donation is embedded in my life. I can think of no other way to give back than by giving a part of me so another may live.

I speak with everyone about making the decision to donate. It’s the greatest Gift of All.

Sincerely,

Ann Sechrist, donor mother