Kelly Morrison

Donor Hero

“As a father of three boys, a question I’m always asked is, ‘Do you ever wish you had a daughter?’” shared donor father, Dan. “I always answer, ‘I had a daughter. Her name was Kelly Morrison, and she gave the greatest gift that can ever be given, the gift of life.” 

“Kelly was nine months old when she passed away abruptly due to bacterial meningitis. In the hospital, we were informed she was on life support and that her brain had stopped functioning. She would never recover. At this point, my wife and I were approached with a daunting ask… would we consider donating her organs to save others? After much discussion and consideration, my wife and I made the life-changing decision to say “yes”. We felt that perhaps this was Kelly’s purpose in life: to save others’ lives.  

Kelly’s heart was transplanted into a nine-month-old girl from Brooklyn, New York, who was suffering from severe heart disease and had been waiting for a transplant for several months. Her new heart began to function immediately and has continued to function exceptionally well, allowing her to grow into a healthy and happy child. Kelly’s liver was transplanted into another child from New York who was suffering from a missing bile duct. Kelly’s kidneys were transplanted together into a 32-year-old man from Maryland whose kidneys had failed due to an autoimmune disease. Two children and an adult were all on a better journey in life because of our little girl.  

As time passed, we began to fully understand the extent to which Kelly’s donation had touched so many people. It was like when you throw a stone in water and see ‘the ripple effect’. Many friends, family and acquaintances shared that they were inspired by our decision and had registered as organ donors. The donation community has impacted us greatly, giving us a sense of purpose and helping us and our seven-year-old son through our grief. Shortly after Kelly’s death, we welcomed identical twin boys into the world, who are a blessing to us.  

If faced with the same situation today, we would make the same decision. We thank God that we were able to have a positive impact on others in the wake of personal tragedy. If you are not already a registered organ, eye and tissue donor, please consider it. As we’ve experienced firsthand, your decision could have a significant impact on someone’s life or quality of life.”