A GIFT OF LOVE AND LIFE; AN ACT OF STRENGTH AND COURGAGE

The most difficult decision was to donate his skin to burn victims; one who was an infant.

Many years ago, I met a couple with four small children. We developed a life time friendship along with other young couples who had small children. This was a group of energetic, enthusiastic, fun loving, church going, community minded volunteer workers and most of all loving families who raised their children in a loving atmosphere.

We rejoiced in one an others success. We tried to comfort one another during times of loss. How can one comfort someone who has lost a child? Who has lost a spouse?

I would like to share the story of one special family at this time.

Vince was a sixteen year old who was returning home late one evening when he lost control over the car that he was driving. He hit a tree and died. He and his parents believed in organ donation. As most parents, they expected that Vince would be there to carry out their wish to be organ donors. Little did they know that he would pass on first.

He was a young man in good health and many lives were saved from his gift. His parents had never talked about or considered his skin. When they were approached about donating his skin as well, they needed to think long and hard. They made the decision to donate his skin to a number of burn victims.

They were made aware of the successful transplants and the lives that were saved as a result of being an organ donor.

Years passed and the memory of Vince remains strong in the hearts and minds of all those who loved this young man during his short life.

His parents had a very long and successful marriage, raised their other children and became proud grandparents. Now was the time to enjoy retirement.

For a short time they were able to do this, then Ron became ill. Last November, he passed away.

We live quite a distance away and the last time that I saw him was at my husbands memorial service. Ron and Sharon were a great comfort to me. I hope that in some small measure, I was a comfort to Sharon.

Sharon has a great sense of humor and she told me that Ron had always wanted to go to medical school and that he finally made it. As his final gift to his fellowman, his body was donated to the New York Medical College. I could hear her heart breaking as she told me this.......I could relate.......

I would like to quote from his obituary, "Ron's beautiful soul was revealed in his warm smile, the laughter in his eyes and his heart much bigger than his size. His sense of wonder and awe of nature, art, music and beauty was a gift to all who knew him."

I truly admire this family who firmly believed in helping others. Their unselfish love of their fellowman was shown first as an organ donor of their child and then Ron's desire to have his body donated to a medical college.

I googled information about the position of the Catholic Church concerning organ donation and donating ones body to science.

In an article published in 2005 titled Organ donation -- the life saving agreement by Brenda Rees she wrote: "The unselfish act of becoming an organ donor recently took on a new shine with the revelation that Pope Benedict XVI is the first Pope on record as being a card-caring organ donor." " To donate one's organs is an act of love that is morally licit, so long as it is free and spontaneous," he said. Pope John Paul II described organ donation as "everyday heroism".

Pope John Paul II's encyclical, Evangelium Vitae discusses this issue.

Ron has joined George as well as our other friends in Heaven. The legacys that they left behind are everlasting. The memories precious.