By Judy Jenkins | The Gleaner | Henderson, Kentucky
Ryan Vos was only 12, and like most kids that age had probably never given a thought to the subject of organ donation.
But his dad, Bill Vos, feels certain that is what Ryan would have wanted.
"He was a very loving child," says Bill. "He had hugs for everybody, and it was very seldom he ever met anyone he didn't care for.
"The love that child had."
Because of Ryan's love for others:
A 13-year-old boy has a new heart.
A 15-year-old girl has new lungs.
A 7-year-old girl has a new liver.
A 41-year-old mother of five has a new kidney.
A 39-year-old man who hasn't been able to work the last two years has a new kidney and pancreas.
A 32-year-old mother of two has a new section in her digestive tract.
"I lost my son, my baby boy, and that's a parent's worst nightmare," Bill said, "but he doesn't have to be totally gone. Through the organ donor program, he can live on."
Bill, a resident of Whispering Meadows near Morganfield, and his former wife, Ryan's mother Tracy Cheatham of Webster, Fla., "were on the same page" in regard to donating Ryan's organs, Bill said.
He believes God led them to that decision.
***
Thursday morning, February 3rd this year started like all the weekday mornings in the Vos household.
Ryan was up early and, as usual, headed out the door of his Whispering Meadows home to go a short distance to his dad's store, the Pit Stop, to have breakfast before returning to the house and catching the school bus.
Thursdays are biscuits and gravy days at the store, and Ryan, with the foot scooter he'd gotten for Christmas, was moving in that direction at about 6:30 a.m. when he accidentally traveled into the path of a 2006 Ford truck.
He was critically injured, and flown by Air Evac to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville.
Soon Bill and Tracy -- who'd caught the first flight she could get -- learned that their son had no brain activity.
More than one test was performed to be absolutely certain that was the case.
Before the day was over, all of Ryan's immediate family and much of his extended family were there. They included Ryan's sister Tiffany, 17, who lives with her mom, and his brother William, 15, who lives with Bill as Ryan did.
Though there was a divorce, the family is close and Bill and Tracy are friends.
Also there were Ryan's grandparents, Jerry and Janette Andrews of Dawson, Ala., and cousins and other relatives.
When Ryan passed away at 4:15 that afternoon, they prayed over him and lovingly told him good-bye.
Bill, who strongly feels that parents should regularly tell their kids that they're loved, did what he had done every night at bedtime: Kissed Ryan and told him "Good night. Sweet dreams. I love you."
***
If Ryan seems somehow familiar to you, perhaps it's because you saw a certain Evansville Courier & Press "Highways and Biways" pictorial feature last October.
Photographer Denny Simmons came across Ryan and his buddy Drew Rigdon in Drew's yard.
The boys, both members of the Union County Middle School band, were playing their instruments, practicing for the school's Christmas concert.
Drew played saxophone, and Ryan played trumpet.
Ryan was small for his age. His dad says he hadn't yet hit his growth spurt, but the youth took kidding with good grace.
Bill said Ryan would tell people, "I'm not small. I'm fun-sized."
***
This month is national Organ Donor Awareness Month, a time when we're all asked to consider becoming organ donors when we die. In some cases, we can be living donors.
At any moment, more than 100,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for an organ. Four thousand more are added to the waiting list every day. Sadly, each year sees nearly 7,000 people dying before an organ becomes available.
Organ donation is consistent with the beliefs of most religions. An open-casket funeral is still an option, and the organ donor's family is never charged for donating.
You can help the effort by donating a dollar to the state's Trust for Life program when you renew your driver's license, and most importantly, you can make your wishes known by signing the back of your driver's license or another donor card.
Be sure and let your family know your intentions.
Ryan's family is grieving, but they take some comfort in knowing that he has changed a number of lives.
His mom recently wrote, "I love you son, and am so thankful that even now you are making people feel better."
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