Families Are United through Tissue Donation

Before Richie Steele died in a tragic crash on December 30, 2013, he had already made his wishes clear—he wanted to donate his organs, and whatever else could be used to give someone else a better quality of life when he left this world. No one anticipated it would be when he was so young—just 20 at the time, but his generous heart wanted to help others.

And, his heart was given to someone who is now alive, and might not otherwise be. But, besides the major organs—heart, kidneys and liver, for example—tissue and other parts of the human body can also be donated at the time of death.

Recently, Richie’s mom, Belinda Schell and “bonus” dad, Jeff, met the recipient of some of Richie’s tissue. Morgan Carr, a 21-year-old athlete and college senior studying to be an athletic trainer, tore her ACL. It turns out, it was repaired by tissue (a tendon) donated by Richie. And, Morgan wrote a letter to Richie’s parents and they met recently.

Morgan tore her ACL playing intramural basketball in February, 2014, and had surgery to repair it in May, 2014. She said it works like new now! She said when she was being wheeled into surgery for the allograft, as it’s called, they told her the tissue came from a young man, about 20. She said at the time that didn’t register.

She did not immediately contact the donor’s family, which is done through LifeLink to keep anonymity for those who don’t want to meet personally.

And it turns out it is a very small world. Morgan was engaged to marry Blake Hammock, a graduate of Piedmont Academy.

However, Mr. Hammock was also killed in a tragic car wreck, last August, which was after after her graft, but before she had contacted the donor family. At least partly because of Morgan being a tissue recipient, when young Mr. Hammock died, she and his parents made the decision for organ donation.

She said she was glad she didn’t contact Richie’s family sooner, because once she suffered a similar loss, and helped make the decision for organ donation, she was in a much different place to communicate with Richie’s family.

Last weekend, Morgan and the Schell’s were invited to Atlanta Motor Speedway to meet with Joey Gase of Joey Gase Racing, who races in the Xfinity series on Saturday. Mr. Gase is a strong proponent of organ and tissue donation, and spreads the word on his race car and wherever he can. He had to make the decision when his mother died, and chose to donate her organs and tissues. He carries at least one sponsor on organ donation at each race.

So last Saturday, Morgan, and her dad, Rodney Carr, met Belinda and Jeff Schell at the race track, and they all met Joey Gase. They took part in race day festivities and bonded with one another. They met before the race and after qualifying hung out with Mr. Gase in his hauler. They were in his pit while he was racing, and visiting with him after the race also.

Mrs. Schell thinks the world of Miss Carr, and is glad her son was able to enrich her life. Mrs. Schell said that meeting the people who received Richie’s organs and tissue helps relieve the pain a little, as Richie still lives in other people…not just those who knew and loved him, but total strangers.

She said that Richie’s heart recipient is coming to Monticello in May to spend time and learn more about the young man who gave him life.

Mrs. Schell said it is not unusual to meet recipients of organs, but tissue recipients are more uncommon. Miss Carr said that tissue doesn’t have to be “matched” like organs do.

Also, tissue does not have to be used immediately, like organs do. Tissue has a shelf life of three to five years, according to LifeLink.

Meanwhile, the Schell’s have become strong advocates for organ and tissue donation, and are working with LifeLink to be spokesmen and encourage others to donate organs and tissue.

They are looking forward to having a Team Richie at a 5K race on the Silver Comet Trail in Atlanta in April, and want to have the largest team there.

Miss Carr commented that you don’t realize how many people you can help with organ and tissue donation. According to the LifeLink website, one organ and tissue donor can save the life of eight people and restore the health of 50 more.

“Learn the facts about organ donation, designate your wishes to be a donor by signing up on the registry and make sure your loved ones know of your desire to donate life,” says the website, and that sentiment is echoed by Miss Carr and the Schells.