Krysti Turbin remembers her son, 28-year-old David Wik, as a kind-hearted, giving person. “He was incredible. He was so full of life and vibrant and loud,” she says. “He was a very good kid, and I’m so blessed that I got to be his mom.”
In October 2023, some of David’s friends, who he hadn’t seen in a while, visited from out of town. Krysti believes that David was peer-pressured into doing drugs and suffered an accidental fentanyl overdose. “David didn’t even take Advil; he’d just grump about the pain,” she says. “He was an incredible kid, and I feel like his life was cut short by peer pressure.”
Sadly, David passed away, and his family made the courageous decision to donate his tissues. David’s sister Sage was especially adamant. She felt her brother’s generous spirit should live on, and the family wholeheartedly agreed. “He was so giving in life that we said absolutely,” Krysti says. “To know David is to love David. He was incredible. I love that he gets to live on through other people.”
David donated a total of 358 gifts, including corneas, skin grafts, saphenous and femoral veins, heart valves, and more. “Just knowing the impact that David’s donation made, I would encourage others to join the registry,” Krysti says. “I’m thankful that we made the decision we did because I know that David gets to live on. He was so selfless and giving in life, so it was important to honor that in his passing, too.”
After David passed, someone asked Krysti if she’d rather not have had David and never feel this kind of devastating loss or if she’d rather have him for his 28 short years and live with the pain of losing him. She said she’d rather live with the pain.
“It’s not something that I’m proud of that my son passed from fentanyl,” she says. “Every night before work, David would give us a hug and say he loved us. He was just incredible, and he deserves to be here. I’ve got a great guardian angel now; the sky shines a little different.”
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.