'Somebody gave the gift of life to me'

The Monitor | Daniel Flores

McALLEN, Tx- Quilts, crafted of individual squares honoring organ donors, were on display around the room during Saturday’s candle lighting ceremony at the Forum in McAllen, Texas Saturday Nov. 7, 2015. Photo by Daniel Flores dflores@themonitor.com

Shantel Garza, 10, walked to the front of the room — past hanging quilts patched together with rows of squares and a table full of framed photos remembering organ donors — to grab the microphone. Flameless candles, placed there by donors’ families, glowed next to the young organ recipient.

“I’m glad to be here because somebody gave the gift of life to me,“ Garza said, praising donor families before her rendition of the national anthem. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for all of you guys.“

During the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance’s ceremony Saturday at The Forum in McAllen, eight organ recipients symbolically illuminated their candles near one that was already lit. The eight candles represented the eight donatable organs: liver, lungs, heart, kidneys, pancreas and small intestine.

Shantel Garza, 10, walked to the front of the room — past hanging quilts patched together with rows of squares and a table full of framed photos remembering organ donors — to grab the microphone. Flameless candles, placed there by donors’ families, glowed next to the young organ recipient.

“I’m glad to be here because somebody gave the gift of life to me,“ Garza said, praising donor families before her rendition of the national anthem. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for all of you guys.“ Continue reading

 

To register as an organ, eye and tissue donor, visit www.DonateLIFE.net. | In Caifornia, visit www.DonateLIFECalifornia.org | It is important to share your decision with loved-ones.