We lost my dear cousin Jared suddenly to a severe Asthma attack in February of 2020. He was only 30 years old, with a heart of gold and silly by nature (just like his father Jaime). His dad was my dad's closest cousin. Our father's were best friends growing up and we heard all the shenanigans they got into as we grew up. Jared was my younger cousin who we'd get to see every now and then. Even though Jared and his family lived in Illinois, they'd make great efforts to be at our family reunions here in California.
Jared chose to be an organ donor. To our surprise, his blood type was O negative with an RH factor, which is very rare and allowed for universal organ donation. He was able to save and enhance over 70 lives through his organs & tissue donations. To this day, we mourn the loss of our beloved family member Jared. Even in his final act of love, he chose to help others. We are so proud of him and the legacy he leaves in our family. If you're interested in more information regarding organ donation, visit: Gift of Hope.org
To learn more about becoming a donor, check out a program in your area. Listen to Ellen K's call with Jared's father, below: