Alex Encila, was a kind and funny guy. “You would first notice his smile and big dimples,” his mom Anabelle says. Alex made friends everywhere. He played guitar, wrote his own songs, and he could easily connect with others through music. His friends were special to him. They say that he had a way of listening that made them feel valued. Alex passed away at the young age of 20 from a head injury at the gym. He wasn’t a registered organ donor, but Annabelle felt that organ donation was the right choice for her son who always tried to help others. “I thought, ‘I will see him through others.’ Basically, with his gifts, he will live on,” Annabelle says.

Alex loved basketball, but when he didn’t make the high school team, he wanted to work with a private trainer. Annabelle couldn’t afford it, but this didn’t deter Alex. His friends at the local YMCA let him in to work out, and Alex coached youth basketball for more time on the court. Days after losing Alex, Annabelle discovered his car covered in flowers in the driveway. One card read: “Alex changed my life. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here.”

Alex’s gift of life changed numerous lives through his miraculous donation of seven organs including his kidneys, pancreas, liver, heart, lungs, corneas, and tissue. Alex Encila was honored during the 2022 Rose Parade that took place in Pasadena, Calif., on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2022. A floral rendition of his photo, called a floragraph, was featured on the Donate Life parade float, which honors the life-saving legacies of organ donors across the country. Today, Annabelle is close to her son’s lung recipient, Donald, who is grateful for the chance to meet his future grandchildren. He also shares that he’s a good sleeper and loves to eat – just like Alex. Alex’s friends continue to keep in touch through text messages and letting his mother know how they still miss him every day.