On May 5, 2016, I was at work and received a phone call from my husband that changed my life forever. My 17-year-old son Jordan had been in a car accident. He was airlifted to Iowa City due to a traumatic brain injury.
Over the next 20 hours, I waited by Jordan’s side squeezing his hand waiting for him to squeeze it back, but he never did. We met with some of Jordan’s care team to discuss his prognosis. It was decided that Jordan was not going to recover as his brain injury was too severe. They asked us about donating Jordan’s organs. Honestly, I had never thought about it. I never thought I would have to make a decision like that for my child. We knew Jordan was a healthy young man that was always caring and willing to help anyone. With this is mind we knew organ donation was something he would want. Jordan was taken off the ventilator later that day. As we drove home from Iowa City, Jordan was in surgery about to make a better life for so many people.
It has been almost 4 years and even though I would give anything for my son to be here today, I know organ donation was one of the best outcomes of this heartbreaking incident. Jordan has helped improve the quality of life for so many people. Our family has even met and kept in contact with a recipient of one of his kidneys. Knowing her has given us some sort of comfort in knowing in a way Jordan lives through others. Jordan was an intelligent, hardworking, sweet, and kindhearted young man who we continue to miss every day. Our lives will never be the same without seeing his contagious smile or hearing his infectious giggle.
I became a volunteer for the Iowa Donor Network in December of 2017. I am hoping to create awareness in the importance of becoming a registered donor and all the benefits it entails. I also hope it will help me heal and keep Jordan’s spirit and memory alive.
-Maggie Thiltgen, Donor Mom
