Sue Ward remembers her son, Nicholas Stowers, as an outdoorsy person who loved working with his hands. “He was a very generous person and an earnest person about living life and following what he liked to do,” Sue says. “He loved the mountains and being outside, exploring, hiking, biking, snowboarding, skiing and wildlife. He was a tender-hearted person who enjoyed what nature had to offer.”
Nick followed his love for the outdoors to South Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes, CA, where he worked in mountain operations for winter and summer sports. “He was an adventurer; he saw more of the world than I ever did,” Sue says.
Over the years, Nick sustained a number of injuries from his outdoor activities, including a broken arm and several head injuries. These head injuries caused Nick to begin having seizures and, one day, he hit his head during a seizure and experienced an intracranial hemorrhage.
Sadly, Nick was given no hope of recovery. Sue, a nurse, knew that her son was a registered organ and tissue donor and honored his wishes. “Nick loved helping people—that was one of his hallmarks. This is totally in step with him as a human being,” she says. “I’m very proud of him, and it’s a way to keep him alive.”
Now, Sue encourages others to join the donor registry to save and heal lives. “Please register as a donor. As a nurse, I see the benefit. But I also think it’s for the greater good,” she says. “It was a hard decision, but it’s one of the things I’m most proud of.”
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.