Eddy’s Honor – Dash for Donation
My family and I are excited to honor Eddy Jackson this year at the Dash for Donation. Eddy was a son, father, uncle, cousin, nephew, loving friend – and my brother. We’ve named our team Eddy’s Honor and are we are looking forward to honoring him in our first Dash.
My brother
In June 2008, my brother Eddy found out that he was going to have a baby boy. He was so excited.
Just six days later, while crossing a busy street, he did not see a car coming on the other side of a stopped COTA bus. The car hit him, which caused severe head trauma. He was rushed to Mount Carmel West and underwent emergency brain surgery. The doctors did everything they could to save him, but unfortunately Eddy was declared brain dead a week after the accident. He was only 16 years old.
When we were presented with the opportunity for Eddy to be an organ donor, our family talked about his character; he would sacrifice anything for the ones he loved and Eddy would help any stranger in need. It was an easy decision to say yes to donation, as a way to honor the kind and loving young man he was.
His impact
Through his donation, five lives were saved – his kidney was transplanted into a 38-year old man, a 51-year man received his kidney and pancreas, a 45-year old man and two-year old boy were saved with portions of his liver and his heart was transplanted into a seven-year-old boy.
Two months after Eddy died, his son was born and he was named after his dad. Since the two never met, little Eddy has been raised knowing that his dad is a hero and how blessed we all were to have had him in our lives.
Eddy Jr. with his dad’s picture at the Mount Carmel West Wall of Heroes
Eddy’s Honor
Our Dash team is made up of family members and friends who will come together to celebrate a beautiful life that was taken away before its time. We learned about the Dash for Donation this spring when Eddy was honored on the Wall of Heroes at the hospital. We hope to spread awareness for organ, eye and tissue donation and to let everyone know that they can be a hero like my brother and say “yes” to organ donation!