(NEWSER) – The mother of a boy who died under suspicious circumstances was able to hear his heart beat again—inside the body of a 4-year-old girl. Heather Clark, who donated her son’s organs after his death in 2013, visited the Phoenix family of donor recipient Jordan Drake for the emotional encounter, KSAZ reports. Clark shared hugs and tears with Jordan and her mother, Esther Gonzalez, before placing a stethoscope to Jordan’s heart and hearing her son’s heart beat again. “It’s hard to describe … that she would be so selfless to be able to think of another family while she’s going through her grief,” says Gonzalez, whose daughter spent years in Phoenix Children’s Hospital with a congenital heart defect. “We’re family now, we’re friends now, our families are families, we’ve brought our families together.”
Clark’s son Lukas was only seven months old when he died with a babysitter, whose boyfriend allegedly abused the child; the matter is under police investigation, Clark says. The California mom quickly donated his organs to three recipients, including Jordan. “There is another family out there … and I have the chance to make them not go through what I’m about to go through,” she said of her decision. more
Pass: my life is depressing enough
Donor family. Recipient family.
It’s better to be anonymous.
Head trips.
What about the other two recipients, I hope she spares them.
It is sick to put the kid through this. She wanted this publicity stunt. Just sick.
Gosh. No white privilege?
I really fear for our society when absolutely nothing happens to anyone unless it’s on FaceBook or on someone’s phone. People don’t know how to live with their own experiences — just live with them and not share every single thing that they are doing, all the time! I know there will be a whole new branch of psychosis dealing with this — they’ll call it Parallel Life Syndrome or something. There’s the life you have and then there’s the life you’ve “curated” on social media. It’s not far-fetched, our young adult child says, “Oh yeah, there’s a big difference between what reality is and what you present to others. And everyone knows it.”
Our relative’s wife, (T), mother of 3 boys 6 and under has relapsed. She was in the university hospital last year for months getting chemo for a form of leukemia. She is back and currently undergoing chemo again. Drs are now looking for stem cell match for her within her own family however she has a rare blood type. She’s a wonderful mom and she and her DH and boys need prayers. Please.
Tough crowd here
I have no idea how I would handle the pain or the joy of this unique situation. Bless them all.
My middle child received a donor organ last March, and the transplant was an answer to prayers. We only know that the donor was a 20-year-old female. I have prayed for her and her family every day since. I don’t know that my family needs to know more about her and her family than we already know…that they are generous, caring people. And we are grateful!
I understand the negative comments, but it’s important for people to see the tremendous benefits of organ donation in the unfortunate event they are placed in a position to make the same decision this brave mother did.
The number one cited reason given by blacks for not filling out an organ donor card (their donor rates are very low) was that they were worried that a white person might receive their organs.
There has always been a difference between who we are and how we present ourselves to the world, some greater than others (think Hollywood stars, politicians, serial killers, etc.). Social media just makes it easier for ordinary people to construct their facades.
The number one reason I can think of for not filling out an organ donor card is being hauled into an emergency room close to death and having some doctor say to his colleagues, “Well, we could probably save him, but if he dies we can give his liver to Senator so-and-so, who is in desperate need of a liver transplant because of his chronic alcoholism…”.
😛
I agree…Men can know the pride and thrill of being a father and seeing that little, living part of themselves thrive and flourish…and men can and will mourn the loss, but women are there from the start of the spark of life growing inside them….this Lady has heard the sound of her little ones heart for the nine months that she nourished that little boy until he tragically left this earth….give her a break…
It is a miracle surgical procedure.
They appear to be reacting to a miracle and want others to see the dead boy’s last gift to the world. His heart lives on. It saved a life. Who can do such a thing?
I thought it was sweet. WTF?? Are some of you F*ck’s getting a bit cynical?