Ask anyone who knew Patrick Anderson, and they’d all tell you the same thing: He had a giving spirit.
Patrick’s mother, Mary Anderson, can attest to this. “His heart was bigger than his whole body,” she said. “No matter what was going on, if somebody needed something to be done, he was there to help.”
Patrick was also quite the entrepreneur. “Right after high school, he started his own landscaping business,” Mary said. “He loved working outside.”
He loved “playing” outside, too. Whether deer hunting, fishing, or hunting birds with his trusty dog, Kota, Patrick found peace in the fresh air. Quite often, Mary and Patrick would go on evening walks together, along with Kota.
Today, Kota lives with Mary. Patrick may be gone, but she and Kota share a special bond. And yes, they still go for evening walks. “She’s truly my therapy dog in all of this,” Mary said. “His dog is my gift.”
Patrick’s life is punctuated by all the key moments a mother never forgets—his confirmation, shooting his first deer, and high school graduation. But those walks were just as special.
“We did one of those big posters at his funeral that people could sign and share a favorite memory,” Mary said. “And that's what I wrote—that walking and talking with him every night, when he was home, was my favorite memory.”
Sadly, Patrick passed away in early January 2023. While this tragedy came as a sudden shock, Patrick’s desire to give back—even in death—was no surprise.
“There are people in the hospital who are notified when someone's near death,” Mary said, “and someone came to talk to us about donation."
Still, talking to someone about organ and tissue donation shortly after a loved one passes is difficult. However, Mary and her family took solace in the fact that this was exactly what Patrick would’ve wanted.
“Patrick’s driver’s license from the day he got it at 16 said he was an organ donor,” Mary said. “It was really important to him to live on in others.”
Indeed, Patrick does live on. His tissue was processed into more than 120 surgical grafts for everything from spinal procedures to heart valve repair. Also, thanks to Patrick, a man received a hand transplant surgery after losing his own hand in a table saw accident.
Then there was the little girl who had multiple heart surgeries since birth. “I got a letter from the girl’s family, and they were so grateful,” Mary said. “Patrick’s tissues were used for her new heart valve. I just wrote back and said, I’m so glad he was able to do this for you.”
It’s been years since Patrick’s passing, but his story is far from over. Mary raises awareness of organ donation whenever she can. Whether it’s through an event, an article, or just a casual conversation, she wants everyone to know they can make a difference.
“I think organ donation is so incredibly important,” she said. “You’re giving someone else a chance at life. You’re creating meaning in the middle of something so hard.”
And it is hard. Mary would love nothing more than to take another evening walk with Patrick. But she takes comfort in the fact that a part of Patrick’s life quite literally lives on in others.
“It gives me something positive to hold onto,” Mary said. “Grief is horrible. But knowing that he made a difference—that helps.”
Every 10 minutes, someone is added to the organ transplant waiting list.
Approximately 113,000 men, women, and children are waiting for life-saving organ transplants. One organ donor has the power to save up to eight lives and change the outcomes of someone’s world forever by giving them a second chance. Additionally, tissue donation can save and improve the lives of up to 75 people with their gifts. You can make a huge impact by registering as an organ and tissue donor.
Learn more about organ and tissue donation, or register as a donor at https://donatelifewisconsin.org.
