The girl that keeps on giving

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Last Saturday’s youngest victim in Tucson, 9-year-old Christina Green, is the girl that keeps on giving.  And her gift today really grabs my heart because she did the same thing my late brother did after his sudden and unexpected passing.  She gave her organs. 

AOL news reports that a little girl in Boston will now live thanks to Christina’s precious organ donation.  And there will be others who will be saved because of the Green family.

Nine years ago when my little brother was put on life support following a tragic accident, we felt pretty hopeless.  When an organ donor card was found in his wallet, we began to feel little twinges of hope.  His gifts were wide-spread and magical.  Because our Shane had been extremely healthy before his passing, many of his organs were viable and strong. 

As thank you letters came in from families about Shane’s life-saving donations, we were able to celebrate his life even more.  And the people that he saved wrote hopeful words to our family that helped to save us from our own despair, shock and ultimate sadness.

As we know, Christina was born on September 11, 2001 and instantly became a sign of hope.  Having just been elected to her school’s student council, we now know that the ambitious 3rd grader went to the town hall meeting to meet her congresswoman, perhaps imagining herself a political hopeful someday. 

And we learned that she not only played baseball on an all-boys team, was a gymnast, dancer and a swimmer, but also volunteered with several local charities to help others in need. 

Everything about this precious 9-year-old girl was about hope.  Hope for a brighter future, hope to grow into a woman who would be a real contributor in this world. 

I believe that she would have achieved many of her goals.  You can almost feel her drive and spirit through the many inspiring news reports that have been published about this extraordinary little girl.

And even in her passing, she inspires hope.  I am hopeful that her generous organ donation will give her parents hope, as my brother’s organ donation gave our family.  And her parents inspire hope with the donation of their little girl’s organs. 

As the mother of a hopeful 9-year-old daughter, I can see with great hope that Christina’s death will not be in vain.  She left us with hope and no crazed mad man can’t take that away from us, ever.

God Bless Christina and her amazing family.  I thank John, Roxanna and brother Dallas for sharing Christina’s life and legacy with us.  The good and giving Green family now give other children the gift of life.  I know first-hand the raw emotions that accompany that beautiful decision.  

And in Christina’s name, consider being an organ donor as I am in my brother’s name.   Hope lives on.  Today hope is named Christina Taylor Green.