“He always tried to help everyone,” said John. “He helped someone by donating his organs, and that’s a tremendous thing. Not everybody does that.”
Jason’s liver was transplanted. His heart, lungs, and one of his kidneys were donated for research, helping to improve future transplants and better understand and treat chronic diseases.
Jason’s liver is one of more than 6,100 organs transplanted from donations facilitated by Live On Nebraska since 1977, including 621 hearts, 3,172 kidneys, 540 lungs and thousands more livers, pancreases and small intestines.
“Jason’s donation is a wonderful example of the generosity that we’ve witnessed at Live On Nebraska for more than 45 years,” said Kyle Herber, President & CEO of Live On Nebraska. “Transplants are only possible because of donors like Jason and their families. We are incredibly proud to work with these amazing individuals and to help their legacy live on.”
For Trish, celebrating Jason’s spirit and recognizing his generosity both in life and at his death were remarkable moments in his donation journey.
Friends, family and those caring for Jason lined the hospital hallways prior to his donation surgery for a ceremonial honor walk. After the surgical team learned Jason’s favorite band was Metallica, they played the group’s hits during the donation operation.
“Knowing that he’s living on within somebody else is an amazing feeling,” said Trish. “For me, Jason’s not gone. He’s still here because he’s a part of someone else.”
In addition to Nebraska’s 2,000 organ donors, more than 5,000 heroes have given the gift of life through
tissue donation. These gifts include lifesaving skin grafts and heart valves, sight-restoring eye and corneal donations, and bone, tendon and vein grafts that restore quality of life to millions each year.
