Amanda's Story
Her voice quivers and tears are close at hand when she tries to describe her daughter. Amanda, a 17-year-old, west central Ohio, high school senior, quiet, member of SADD (Students Against Drunk Driving), didn't like to gossip about people, a very loving and giving person, was on her way to an evening class when her life was stolen in an automobile accident. But even in death Amanda continued to be a thoughtful and giving person. She gave the ultimate gift ... the gift of life.

Amanda's kidneys enabled two people to stop dialysis treatments. Her pancreas helped a 25-year-old nurse continue life without insulin shots. Her lungs enabled a 17-year-old boy to experience his graduation. Amanda's heart and liver saved the lives of two women. Her corneas restored sight to two people. Her gifts of skin and bone have helped numerous burned victims and prevented many amputations.

When she first received her driver's license, Amanda indicated her desire to be an organ/tissue donor. As her mother recalls, "Amanda said, 'If I was ever to die, I won't need these (organs/tissues).' " In their grief, her family honored her wishes. As her mother says, "she saved a lot of peoples' lives" and after Amanda's funeral, her mother had her license changed.

It now displays an organ donor sticker.

Wesley's Story
Blonde-haired, blue-eyed Wesley of northwest Ohio was a normal, happy, light-footed 19-month-old. He looked like he was sleeping as his parents stood by Wesley's hospital bed. His coloring was good and his body was warm. His heart was beating. His lungs were inhaling and exhaling ... due to the ventilator that was humming in the background. Wesley was brain dead.

In their anguish, Wesley's parents felt that "If we couldn't have a miracle, we'd give that miracle to someone else." Knowing that others would be given a chance for life, donating Wesley's organs gave them some hope in a hopeless situation.

Because of their courageous decision, Wesley's kidney gave a little 5-month-old boy the opportunity to grow and play like other children his age. His liver saved the life of a 14-month-old girl. A 17-day-old baby boy lay near death with no hope of living more than a few days until he received Wesley's heart and two people received the gift of sight from Wesley's corneas.

His parents have no regrets about their decision to donate Wesley's organs. "We did the right thing ... where possible, you should help somebody else."