On December 18th, 2012, 18 year-old Ryan, on his way home from an away basketball game was struck by a vehicle driven by a young girl who was at the time texting back her friend just minutes after leaving her friends house. “They were able to revive Ryan's heartbeat and he was transported to our local hospital, where they did a CAT scan. Ryan was then flown to a larger hospital two hours away from home -- the longest drive of our lives.  When we arrived, the doctors sat down with us to explain what they saw in the CAT scan, which was not positive.  In the morning a second scan was performed, and it revealed that Ryan was legally brain dead, with no chance of recovery,” shared Lisa. Despite heroic efforts by medical personnel, Ryan died at the hospital.  His parents were given time to say goodbye in the hospital room. Ryan’s mom, Lisa, remembers, “I knew what was going on, but I didn’t want to hear the words. There was no way to make sense of what had happened to Ryan, to us,”

Although Bradley, Ryan’s father, is a family practitioner he did not immediately think of organ donation during this time of grief. Fortunately a physician had the courage to ask the difficult question: “Would you donate your son’s organs?” Amid indescribable despair, their decision to donate gave the Kayes a profound sense of hope and added new meaning to Ryan’s brief life. It took Bradley and Lisa only minutes to agree to proceed with the donation. "I believe the timing of his death was significant. It forced us to approach even our darkest day with a spirit of gratitude. But there was a way to allow something positive to come of the whole experience.  If another family, another mother and father could experience the joy of knowing their baby was going to survive, that would ease the loss in our lives. " Bradley stated. 

Ryan’s life was short but his legacy is far-reaching in the lives of those who received his organs. His kidneys were transplanted into a twenty-seven year old man. His liver was implanted in a two year old girl. His heart was donated to a seventeen year-old boy. And his eyes were donated to a 5 month-old baby boy. All of the transplants were successful. 

As some donor families do, the Kayes reached out to the organ recipient families. They began by writing letters through their transplant coordinators to all the recipients. The family of Caleb, who received Ryan’s heart, chose to write in response. Just right after two weeks of Caleb’s heart transplant the families spoke for the first time. “Once we started talking, both families realized there was this phenomenal connection between us” Lisa stated. After they were told that they found a patient who was young and needed a heart, Bradley said, "The moment Ryan's heart was placed in Caleb's chest, it began to beat, and on our lowest days, that's what gets us through -- knowing that Ryan's heart gave this beautiful gift to a boy and his family.” 

According to Lisa and Bradley, Ryan's loss has taught so many people how important it is to treasure every moment. Both Lisa and Bradley continue to be involved in promoting and telling their “story of hope” to others to help people realize the difference organ donation can make. 




- I didn't get to meet or know Ryan but my respect for him will never die. I'm able to stand up high and share my experience of the life-saving gift of hope through receiving a donated organ. I won't have anymore heart complications and have to worry the ones I care about the most from them thinking that any day and any time my heart can give out on me at the wrong place and time and I wouldn't survive. I'm able to go on walks with my family, be able to drive, be able to be more active and do many more things than I was limited to before. None of these things were possible when I had heart problems. I'm honored to be able to wake up to another beautiful day and to be able to see my beautiful daughter grow up. From now on and forever on, I'm going to say a prayer every morning before I go on with my day, thanking Ryan and his family for the rest of my life. The change in how I felt prior to the transplant with how I feel now is truly a miracle this side of heaven. I am truly and honestly so lucky.
Sincerely, Caleb. 

"Through this experience I get to see my daughter's father, my best friend live life the way he should be able to live, and that’s a beautiful thing... I think maybe I’m the one who should be saying thanks." -Aubree.