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Jacques' death meant an 8-year-old boy, a 47-year-old mother two and a 33-year-old man with cardiac disease lived. His mom shares her bittersweet story with YOU.
Patricia's son Jacques was hit by a motorbike in 2014, in an accident that left him brain dead.
Devastated Patricia chose to donate his organs to people in desperate need of them -- and all six transplants were successful. She shares her bittersweet story with YOU.
"My son was 32 years of age when he got hit by a motorbike on the Corner of William Nicol and Fourways Boulevard Drive on 26 September 2014. On impact his cortex was severed which rendered him brain dead.
I had tried to call him the whole night as he normally reported to me when he was going to be late but we only found him in the Johannesburg Hospital the next day after he was airlifted to hospital.
The paramedics had the insight to put him on a ventilator in case he could become an organ donor.
They were going to switch the machines off that night but luckily we were able to trace him at the Johannesburg Hospital and that did not become a possibility.
On arrival at the hospital, the Netcare staff called me, his father and his sister into a room and broke the news to us that he was brain dead. They told us about his other extensive injuries -- five breaks in his right leg and his pelvis was fractured and he had had three breaks on his right arm.
They asked if would we consider him being an organ donor. Despite my grief I allowed this.
Not one of my son's organs have been rejected and the rejection normally comes about a year after the transplant. But the Lord was looking after all the recipients of my son's organs.
I was totally lost and had a nervous breakdown until I realised how many lives he had saved.
My son's death now has meaning to me and I would like to encourage other people who have lost their loved ones who were organ donars. I believe that this story would help a lot of people who like me has lost their child or someone dear to them."
The letter from the Netcare transplant team explaining how some of the donated organs saved other people's lives.
Patricia has now made it her mission to encourage 1 000 people to become organ donors, in honour of her son.
If you are registered with the Organ Donor Foundation and would like to help Patricia reach her target, contact her on pattyk@lantic.net, percy3c@gmail.com.
This story was submitted to YOU by one of our readers and has been minimally edited.
Do you have an incredible story to tell? Whether it’s an incredible achievement, a heartbreaking obstacle you were forced to overcome, or just something that made you laugh – share your story with us and you could feature in YOU or on our website. E-mail Web@you.co.za
