Kaelyn Hamilton grew up the youngest of four children in a tight-knit family. She was especially close with her brother Nick, the next closest in age to her. “He was very intelligent and good at technology—he knew how to fix everything,” she says. “He was so funny; I’ve never met someone funnier than him. He always texted us jokes and in times of distress, he was always there to bring everybody positive vibes.”

In 2023, Nick was at a party with friends when the group took what they thought was cocaine but was actually pure fentanyl. Everyone who took the drugs overdosed, but someone woke up and discovered that Nick wasn’t breathing. Paramedics did CPR and brought Nick back, but a scan at the hospital showed a brain injury and diminished function.

“It was a shock; the first thing I heard was that Nick overdosed,” Kaelyn says. “It didn’t seem like him; he’s not like that. I didn’t expect it to happen to my sibling.”

Nick’s family discussed their options and realized that Nick’s quality of life would be poor, even if he managed to pull through. “We looked at his driver’s license and it said he was an organ donor,” Kaelyn says. “We knew that’s what he would’ve wanted. That’s what he decided, and I’m very proud of that.”

In the end, Nick donated all of his organs (except his pancreas), tissues and corneas to save and heal lives. “It makes me so happy that someone else has a second chance at life,” Kaelyn says. She and her family were also touched by the letters they received from Nick’s organ recipients.

“The one that really touched my heart was the liver recipient,” Kaelyn says. “He’d said his goodbyes to his family, and then they got the call that his liver was available for him. He said that his children live around the world, and he has been able to visit them—something he never thought he’d be able to do. To me, that’s worth it.”

Now, Kaelyn is on a mission to save lives. Nick’s passing inspired her to pursue a career in respiratory therapy and help patients in need. “I want to help other people in their intensive care stay,” she says. “Eventually, I’d love to work in organ donation coordination, all because of Versiti. As sad as it was, this was a big impact on my life.”

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.