In January of 2017, 20 year old Abbey Connor was with her family... parents Ginny and Bill and her 23 year old brother Austin, on a winter break together in Cancun at a beach resort.
Both brother and sister ended up unconscious, face down in the pool. As a result of this freak drowning, Austin recovered with no permanent damage, but his 20 year old sister...his best friend...suffered too much brain damage, and was declared brain dead
Her body would not let go of precious life, and she was flown to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
She made it clear when she first got her license at 16, that she wanted her organs to be donated when she died. So on Jan. 12th, a parents most nightmarish decision was made, and they requested that the life-support system be taken off their daughter.
Where her organs were immediately harvested.
Said Bill, “She registered. It’s something that she knew a long time ago. Unfortunately, it came to fruition, but that’s Abbey. If you had her as a friend she always had your back, and for her to be helping people in need. That fits who she is.”
Bill was obviously racked with grief and so he formulated a plan. Out of necessity...and sanity.
“I had to do something. I had to get out because it was just consuming me.”
The day after his son graduated college, on May 22, Bill got on his bike to cycle.
“In honor of my daughter and to help me deal with my own grief, I will be riding my Trek bicycle 2,000+ miles across the country. The trip will raise awareness to the impact of organ donation,” from his now defunct GoFundMe page.
He would ride for approx 2,500 miles, from his home in Madison, Wisconsin to the hospital in Ft. Lauderdale were his daughter died. And to spread her ashes in the ocean. At a celebration of her life.
“The people present will have a chance to share their own experiences with organ donation and how it’s touched them. I will hand Abbey’s ashes out so everyone present can just let her go into the ocean.”
Along the way, he requested that people consider to register to become organ donors.
“Obviously, it’s a tragedy. This isn’t about me. It’s about honoring Abbey and organ donation. I’m carrying a torch for her because she can’t.”
Abbeys heart, kidneys, liver, pancreas and corneas were transplanted into 4 severely ill men, ages 20 to 60.
And a young girl losing her sight.
Her organs, and the decision to donate them, saved four persons lives and gave sight to one more.
What a gift.
1,400 miles away in Baton Rouge, 21 year Loumonth Jack Jr. was in the hospital hooked up to machines. A viral infection as a child had weakened his heart to such an extent. He had to have a heart transplant, or he would die.
“I’m thinking, oh, I’m 20. I’m not thinking I’m having a heart attack. I’m thinking this is acid reflux, so I went to the gas station and got some Pepto Bismol.”
Then he had a second more serious heart attack and the grim diagnosis.
Until Abbey’s heart was transplanted into him.
With no complications.
The donation center informed all the recipients of Bill’s journey and his route. They gave Jack Bill’s phone number. Who called and left his number.
“When I called him, it was the most surreal phone call I’ve ever made in my life. I mean, think about it. My daughter’s dead. You’re wearing her heart. I remember, I said, ‘Hello, Jack, this is Abbey’s dad, Bill; how you doing?’ Jack goes, ‘I’m doing fine, Mr. Conner.’ Then we didn’t say anything for five minutes; we just cried, the both of us. Because it’s, like, what do you say?”
Then...on Father’s Day...this happened.
Said Bill, “I was happy for Jack Jr and his family because he’s there and able to spend Father’s Day with his dad. Jack’s healthy and Abbey’s inside of him so she’s alive and I’m there spending Father’s Day with my daughter so there were two fathers that were able to have a day.
Abbey’s always been the one to help people in need, and so being there for Father’s Day it was one step for me to take forward, but also at the same time we’ve got work to do, and Abbey would want me to do exactly what I’m doing because where she’s at now I’ve got to take on the organ donation awareness.”
Said Jack, “She saved me and I can’t repay her. I wish I could but I can’t. All I can do is send my love to her family.
I was extremely excited to meet Mr Bill and Abbey’s family. Abbey did save my life and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about her and I feel very, very connected to her.
And to live life to its fullest. I’m just enjoying and appreciating the life I’m in, and realizing how beautiful things really are.”
There are so many other such stories of this miracle...the impact that one’s decision can have on others.
If you aren’t already...won’t you please consider being an organ donor?
Here’s how to register.