Say a prayer for Jacob tonight...

I worked what turned out to be a fatal motorcycle accident last night; a 17 year-old kid with too much motorcycle and too little judgment ran a stop sign and t-boned a car at about 45 m.p.h. . He was thrown approximately 115 feet into a field. He wasn't wearing a helmet.

When I got there, he was still alive, and you wouldn't have thought much was wrong with him except for some bad road rash and a few minor cuts--- not until you noticed the blood and cerebrospinal fluid running out of his ears and his mouth. A good-looking kid--- tall, blond, blue-eyed, athletic build--- a kid any parent would be proud to flip open their wallet and point to a photo and say 'that's our son, Jacob'. *sigh*

He made it to our local hospital E.R., and they were able to stabilize him somewhat, but an MRI revealed that he had suffered a massive brain trauma, the kind you don't survive--- not ever. They did an EEG, and then they did another, and yet another this morning, and they all showed the same thing: this beautiful child, the son, brother, nephew, grandson, cousin, neighbor, friend and teammate everyone knew was no more, because that which made him who he was had departed, though his body had not yet quit.

His poor, shattered, grieving family was approached by whoever's job it is at the hospital to ask, and they were asked to donate his organs, so that out of this senseless tragedy some good might yet be salvaged; they agreed, and at 2:00 p.m. today, that beautiful child was pronounced dead, and his organs harvested for transplant into some of the 83,000 critically-ill people in this state who wait for this 'gift of life', this incredibly precious gift. Because of their generosity, someone whose heart is so weak today that a few steps from bed to chair is exhausting may, in a few months, be able to run, swim or ride a bike; someone else who cannot today see the words I type may be able to look into the face of a spouse or child they have never seen, and someone else who spends hours and hours tethered to a machine to rid their body of the poisons and wastes that accumulate in it may feel truly healthy for the first time in a decade. A fireman critically-burned on the job may survive his injuries because of the skin grafts that came from here. All these things are now possible, because someone cared enough to ask, and someone else had a generosity of spirit that allowed them to say 'yes', even when their hearts were breaking.

Say a prayer for Jacob and his family tonight, and if you haven't signed an organ-donor card and talked to your family about it, tonight might be a good time to do that.

:grouphug:

Jacob is my son's age.

It's an honor you give me, to serve and protect you and those you love. :)

I'm glad the family agreed to the organ donation. That was a very generous thing for them to do under such trying circumstances.

I have signed my card and talked to my family about my wishes. Thank you for reminding people of the importance of this in such a heartfelt manner.

A :hug: for you and all that you do.

I'm a donor also, and everyone is crystal-clear on that. :hug:

and my organ donor card is signed and has been discussed with family.

I could never do your job, man! :(

That poor family. I know people want the freedom to ride without a helmet, but the results are so tragic. Are helmets were required for younger drivers?

Working as a nurse, we never approach family members for organ donations. I believe it is the job of someone from the blood and tissue center to do that, unless there is a special department for it at the medical center. They are specially trained in how to approach the family in a reassuring way and to get optimum results without violating their personal and religious beliefs.

Thank you for the work you do. Personally, I think it is easier to see tragic things in a clinical setting versus out there on the streets.

Donor card has been signed for ages. Used to carry a special card for it before they added it to DL's.

This was my dad's complaint about working CHP....you get to see Americas Brightest and best in gurneys...

No matter who's right and who's wrong, the equation is always the same: one motorcycle + one car = loss for the motorcycle.

and my thoughts will be with jacob, his family and of course you.....for caring so much.

are you an EMI tech or a volunteer firefighter?
you are on the side of the angels.

We try. :)

I hope you post this in your local paper. My prayers for you and all the good work you do and of course, for Jacob's family .

:)

I'll be sure to remember him in my prayers tonight.

for your service CL.

The best part is that you still care.

I hope you never lose that trait.

ps...I am an organ donor...

I don't know a single fellow officer who doesn't care, really; sadly, most of the time, people just don't get to see us at times when it shows how very, very much we DO care. For almost all of us, it's the 'why' behind what we do every day.:)

are a lot different from the old guys I used to work with. You are more professional and caring.

Some of the officers I worked with were officers by accident...in some cases they were given a badge and a gun just to get them off the welfare rolls (NO I AM NOT KIDDING!!!!!!)

Actually another was given a job as an officer TO PAY OFF BAD CHECKS he had written all over town.....he was on the force for over 30 years!!!!!

Tonight you, Jacob, and your families are in my prayers. God bless you, Cuban_Liberal.

:)

called upon to do.

This is a grim reminder that the best donors are from head injuries, which is why there is such a long waiting list for most organs.

I'm considering a pancreas transplant (though I am leaning against doing it now--wouldn't be "lifesaving" in my case, just enhancing. I've learned so much about the process; and please:

Wear your helmets, people, please--and sign that card; especially if you insist on NOT wearing a helmet.

May God bless Jacob, you, and everyone involved.

Nothing I do is as hard, or requires as much bravery as what Jacob's parents did today. :)

getting some mileage outside of DU? It's striking, it's heartfelt, and it might change some minds.
Thanks.

If it helps just one person say 'yes', then by all means, you have my permission to use it as best you see fit. I'm flattered.:)

I'll try my hardest to find those minds. Thanks again. :)

I have so much admiration for his parents, because they were able to see beyond their own grief, and understand that other out there also grieve, but that their grief is cruel in a unique way that their's was not--- because those folks grieve while holding on to a slender thread of hope. What wonderful people they must be!

I'm glad Career Prole has plans to post it. If it saves just a couple of lives it is well worth it.

I don't know how much credit you get for the work you do but I'm sure it isn't enough.

This should be in a pamphlet encouraging organ donation.

I pray for Jacob's family that they can get through this tough time. May his memory be a blessing.

This is a 'first' for me, and I'll never look at my family or my donor card the same way ever again, because now I know what it will really mean. May God rest his soul, and may He comfort jacob's family and friends...

This should be in a pamphlet encouraging organ donation.

I pray for Jacob's family that they can get through this tough time. May his memory be a blessing.

and the family can't quite come to grips with the finality and refuse to disconnect life support.

As bad as that is, your post brought back a horrible memory.

I've worked in hospitals since 1979 and have "seen it all" but,
when my little brother's son was pronounced brain-dead after an alcohol-related MVA, it was killing me to stare down at this 19 year-old with no scratches, no obvious injuries.
Except for cerebral fluid leaking out of his ear, he looked like he was asleep.

The "good"that came out of it was tissue and organ donation changed the lives of several people. His heard beast on in an older man, his lungs went to others and corneas and skin to yet others.
Out of this personal tragedy some good did occur.

Donate your organs: heaven knows you don't ned them up there!

Rest and Peace Grant Unto Him, O Lord, and May Perpetual Light Shine Upon Him!

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

---------------------------------

I join the DU community in offering my condolences to his family and wishing them the best.

It spares much grief for all involved if it comes to this.

Waiting list candidates 84,578 as of today 6:58pm

http://www.donatelife.net/become_donorcard.html

Edit: emphasis--this hits close to home.

you do the job most of us are not concerned enough, or are afraid, to do, and I appreciate it.

Organ donor since 1982, when I could first sign up.

Thank you, CL - :hug:

Last week, a 15-year old kid died after an accident on a ATV. This kid, who I knew when I was a counselor at an-after school program run through the YMCA.
Timmy wasn't wearing a helmet and suffered severe brain injuries and died at the scene.

If things couldn't be worse, Timmy's father took the ATV away from him because he skipped class a week ago. Timmy's dad hidthe keys and helmet. Timmy would always wear a helmet when he drove the ATV. This day, Timmy found the keys to the ATV but not the helmet and decided to ride it any way.

Cuban, thanks for sharing your story. I will keep Jacob and his family in my prayers. I'm asking all of you to keep Timmy and his family in your prayers too.

Cuban, thanks for the job you perform everyday.

I have donor marked on my Drivers license

of two gifts from families -- a set of corneas to save her from blindness. I have carried a donor card since I was 19 -- it is my sincere hope that I may someday be able to help some family with the gift of my organs or tissue as my family was helped.

A wonderful film, "Jesus of Montreal", showed what organ/tissue donation really is -- a modern day "resurrection". I don't have kids, but someday, with a little help from my bits and pieces, someone may survive to go on and have their own.

Sorry to hear about Jacob and his family's loss -- and what a wonderful gift for so many others.

and sincere sympathies to his friends & family during this time of tragedy...

what a senseless tragedy.

I myself have received donated tissue for dental surgery, granted it isn't the same as a heart or lung but it helped me to keep my teeth.