I am a mother to a child organ donor, her name is Alma.

Last May, a brain hemorrhage took her life. Everything happened so fast. From night to morning my daughter was gone.

Alma was a marvelous young girl. She and I would often have talks about organ donation. Since I’ve always been a registered donor, I would always tell her that if anything would happen to me, I would want her to donate every viable organ that still worked. She would laugh and would then jokingly ask, “What would still work?”

I later expressed to her how wonderful it is to give the gift of life. Alma later told me that if she ever passed away she wanted to be an organ donor.

I never imagined that she would become an organ donor before me. I always thought that parents would die before their children, and not the other way around.

In that moment I remained strong but I was in shock. The loss of a child I think is perhaps the greatest pain there is. That is why it’s good for our loved ones to know of our decision to become a donor. It was at that moment that my aunt reminded me of my daughter’s wish.

It was very sad to lost my daughter, but just to know that a piece of her has helped save four people to live, that gift that she gave allowed four mothers the chance to be here with their kids- is the greatest pride and largest reward for me and Alma’s family.