Sometimes even very sad stories have a silver lining.
That was the case with Kathleen Thorson.
She passed away shortly after giving birth to her fourth child.
But in turn, her organ donation was able to save the lives of 12 others.
Everything seemed to be going well after Thorson gave birth to her son Teddy.
But about a week later she fell ill after enduring an intracerebral hemorrhage.
Thorson had been healthy prior to her giving birth.
The cause of the brain hemorrhage was a mystery at the time.
Thorson underwent several surgeries, but doctors were unable to save her. She passed away at the age of 34.
“Kathleen’s condition deteriorated to a point that she could no longer survive,” the organizer of a GoFundMe campaign for the family wrote. “As was her wish, we are doing everything we can for her to be the prayed-for miracle of life for certain others in need of organ donations.”
Thorson was given an “Honor Walk” on her way to the operating room to give the donation of life.
There were about 113,000 people on the United States’ transport list the year before Thorson gave her donation.
Stubbs said that Thorson’s family was told there was a 1 in a million chance that a donation candidate like Thorson would come along.
It’s estimated that about 20 die per day waiting for an organ donation.
“Before she passed earlier this month, Kathleen said she wanted to save as many lives as possible and donated an almost unheard of 12 organs, including her heart and lungs,” actress Kristen Bell wrote on her children’s line HelloBello social media page. “Jesse – our thoughts are with your family during this unimaginably difficult time. Sending peace and love your way.”
HelloBello donated a year’s supply of wipes and diapers to the family.
The GoFundMe for the family raised more than $130,000 out of its $50,000 goal.
“I have never known a kinder heart nor a more generous spirit,” husband Jesse Thorson said on Facebook. “My love for her is eternal, and I know there are so many who have had the gift of her love in their lives.
Jesse Thorson says he is proud to be able to tell his children that their mother is a hero.
He was grateful that something positive was able to be gleaned from his wife’s passing.
“My 7-year-old told his first-grade class that his mom has ‘helped people,'” Jessie Thorson, who met his wife when they wer ein high school, said.
Jessie Thorson said he and his wife were never apart and that he was happy with the way they spent all of their time together over the course of 14 years.
“I don’t know if she ever met someone she couldn’t find a way to love and care about,” he said. “Her heart was wide open. … Her heart and her kindness and her willingness to love, I’m making sure that’s in every crack of my home and learning how to do all the things that she did while I was at work.”
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