Young man's death translates into new life for three strangers
PORTLAND, Ore. – Three lucky people and the parents of a man killed while skateboarding all met recently to mourn a great loss and celebrate a simple but profound concept: with death, comes new life.
Evan Burke, 21, was killed while skateboarding at night in Medford when he was struck by a taxicab.
But Evan’s death also meant new life for three complete strangers. Those three organ donation recipients recently gathered in Portland to meet Evan’s parents and to stress the importance of organ donation.
"We think about him every day - and I don't think it lessens the pain – it’s just so wonderful that people are able to survive," Jim Burke, Evan’s father, told KATU News.
Al How, 67, got Evan’s heart. "I often looked and think - why am I the fortunate one? Why? I'm just a simple man,” How said.
Evan’s liver went to Sandy Benedetti, who reportedly had perhaps only another hour to live before the transplant. “It’s very strange and you can't explain it. I just feel him,” she said. “When they sent me pictures of him, when I saw him - it gave me goosebumps."
Rob Sellers was blind in his right eye but now has had his vision restored thanks to a corneal transplant using Evan’s eye tissues.
"It was kind of like a perfect match. It was meant to be? I don't know,” Sellers said.
Evan’s mother, Lucille Burke, said the topic of organ donation had come up in conversations with Evan long before the fatal collision. "We were talking about what a waste it would be to be able to donate organs and not do it,” she recalled.
April is “Donate Life Month,” and organ recipients are urging people who want to donate to make sure they have a “D” listed on their driver’s license and to make sure family members know they are willing to donate organs in case of an untimely death.