It was May 29, 2010, Memorial Day weekend, when Kim Crews got a hysterical phone call from her daughter, Whitney. Whitney’s 3-year-old son, Preston Madison, had slipped away from his father into a backyard pool, and he was unconscious by the time he was discovered.
“I just dropped to the ground and prayed that he would be alright,” Kim Crews said. “My worst nightmare had come true.”
Preston was flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, but he was pronounced brain dead on May 30. When a doctor asked about organ donation, Kim Crews said that at first Whitney didn’t think she could do it, but she made the decision to donate Preston’s vital organs.
“I don’t know if I had been in (Whitney’s) shoes, I don’t know if I would have been able to make that decision,” Kim Crews said. “But I’m glad she did.”
The Miller family came into the Crews’ lives in the hospital cafeteria, while the two families were each waiting for an organ donation to occur. Whitney and Kim Crews were waiting to say their final goodbyes to Preston before his organs were donated, and Traci Miller was waiting for a heart being donated to her son Caden. For Kim Crews, it was fate that the two families met that night, as one was saying a tragic goodbye while the other was rejoicing in newfound hope.
“I think God meant for us to be together, meant for us to meet,” Kim Crews said.
Caden Miller was born with a heart disease called restrictive cardiomyopathy, and doctors originally told his parents he would not live past age 5. When Caden was admitted to the hospital on January 18, 2010 at age 2, even 5 seemed impossible. The chances of finding a proper donor were impossible to predict, and in all Caden had a 13-month wait for a new heart, according to Miller. If it hadn’t been for Whitney Crews’ decision to donate Preston’s organs, Miller said she didn’t believe Caden would be alive today.
“If Whitney hadn’t said yes when they asked, she would have lost Preston and we would have lost Caden too…” Miller said as her voice caught. “It was the greatest gift we could have ever gotten.”
Caden is now healthy, and in April Miller decided to go back to work part-time. She was scared to take Caden to daycare, and she didn’t trust most babysitters to give him his medicine properly. Kim Crews had shown an interest in being part of Caden’s life, so Miller decided to ask Crews if she would be willing to babysit Caden and his sisters, Hailey, 7, and Brylee, 5.
“I was scared to ask because I was afraid it would be too much for her, but I knew she would take care of him like her own because he’s a part of Preston,” Miller said.
Crews didn’t have to think twice. It would be a privilege, she said.
“(Caden)’s got something that’s a part of me … I want to spend as much time with him as possible, because I feel like I’m spending time with Preston,” said Crews, who wasn’t willing to take payment for babysitting the boy who has her grandson’s heart.
No one will ever take Preston’s place, Crews said, but she loves Caden as a part of Preston and as the person he is. She has only been watching the Miller children since April, but from the first day she said it has been like she and Caden have known each other forever. Crews enjoys picking out similarities between Caden and Preston, and she is thankful that Caden will get to grow up and do all the things Preston doesn’t have the chance to.
“We gave him life out of our tragedy,” Crews said.
Miller said she is “super glad” she asked Crews to watch her children.
“They love her,” Miller said. “Half the time they roll their eyes or they don’t want to leave when I come get them. I’m glad I can leave them with someone they love and I’m comfortable with.”
In honor of Preston and in order to raise awareness and encourage organ donation, Miller is organizing a memorial motorcycle ride on June 18. The ride will begin at Smith’s Grove Baptist Church, 435 North Main Street in Smith’s Grove, and riders may arrive for registration beginning at 9 a.m. Riders can make any size donation in order to participate. Refreshments will be provided and “Caden’s crew” merchandise will be sold, and the ride will begin at 10 a.m. The route will take riders through the cemetery where Preston was buried, and there will be a balloon release. The ride will end at Living Word Ministry, 1515 Albany Road in Burkesville. Lunch will be served afterward.
All money collected from the motorcycle ride will be donated to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA), and all money donated to COTA is given directly to families who need help covering the costs of organ transplants.
“This is the first motorcycle ride I’ve ever organized, and I’m hoping we have a great turnout and we’ll have a big ol’ check to send off to COTA,” Miller said.
Those interested in more information about the motorcycle ride can look up Caden’s Crew on Facebook or email Traci Miller at wku_mom09@yahoo.com.
“The main thing is for people to be aware of organ donation and the importance of it…” Miller said. “If you can save somebody’s life, even if it’s one life or 10 lives, why wouldn’t you?”
Caden Miller, 3, center, sits with his sisters Hailey, 7, left, and Brylee, 5, in front of a memorial garden for Preston Madison, a 3-year-old who died last Memorial Day and had his heart donated to Caden. Caden was born with a heart disease called restrictive cardiomyopathy and was not expected to live past age 5 until Preston’s accidental drowning gave Caden a new heart. Preston’s grandmother, Kim Crews, now babysits Caden and his sisters. Amanda Loviza
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