It was 7:42 a.m. on December 5th when I messaged one of my former high school students asking, “What happened? Connor was one of my favorite students. I will never forget him!” Liv wrote back, “Connor actually got into a really serious car accident on Sunday, and was taken to the hospital. Shortly after arriving, he was declared brain dead. Fortunately, however, he was a registered organ donor, so he was able to save the lives of four other people last night, which is really a miracle. We are all heartbroken.”
I read the article about the car accident in the Greeley Tribune but it did not give the name of the driver. I checked the newspaper every day after learning of Connor’s fate to find out if and when services would be held. Thankfully there was a wonderful obituary posted on the funeral home’s website. Services would be held on Monday, December 10th for the 22-year-old. There was no question I would attend because he was one of my favorite students; he always had a smile and always tried to bring one to everyone else. He had a big heart.
I entered St. Mary Catholic Church for Connor’s mass and was ushered up front past hundreds of mourners already seated. There wasn’t an empty seat in this large church. Seated across and only a couple of rows back, I could easily see the family and the pain they were experiencing. They weren’t the only ones with a steady flow of tears.
Throughout the eulogy, delivered by a family member I think, maybe an uncle, but written by Connor’s parents, many of us wept. Matthew told insightful, loving family memories about Connor “doing things his way” from the minute he was born. He also told us Connor was an organ donor as Liv had mentioned in her message, but it was five people in all that he helped. A silver lining!
Since he died from head injuries, Connor’s major organs were intact and healthy. His lungs, heart, kidneys, and liver were successfully transplanted and will live on in others. In his final gesture of “doing things his way” he brought a smile to others. I’m sure these unselfish gifts brought his family some solace after the accident. We all lost a wonderful friend and family member on December 3rd, but the organ recipients gained a future of hope and life.
“Connor had a big heart and made the courageous decision to be an organ and tissue donor. He will live on through the lives of the five organ recipients.” –From his obituary
To register to become a donor in Colorado: DonateLifeColorado.org