Karen Williams remembers her son, Tyler, as the light of her life and a talented opera singer who doted on his young daughter. “He was my firstborn. When he arrived, he was a joy—it was a miracle,” she says. “He was the most giving, caring person. His daughter was his whole world, and he had the most beautiful voice—he was an amazing person.”
Throughout his life, Tyler managed health conditions that affected his heart. He was born with an atrial septal defect and underwent open-heart surgery at 9 years old. In 2018, he had a bad infection that diminished is heart function. “I’ve had my share of heart issues, and Tyler being my oldest child, we talked about everything,” Karen says. “But you never think of talking to your adult children about whether they want to be an organ and tissue donor.”
In May 2022, Tyler and his friends were leaving a baseball game when he began having difficulty breathing. He was rushed to the hospital, where doctors gave Karen the devastating news: her son had passed away from a massive heart attack.
“I’ve had my share of heart issues, and Tyler being my oldest child, we talked about everything. But you never think of talking to your adult children about whether they want to be an organ and tissue donor,” Karen says. “The type of child he was, he was always helping other people. I knew he’d want me to pursue donation.”
After a lot of thought, Karen honored Tyler’s wishes by donating his bones, ligaments, corneas, heart valves and other tissues. “I’m glad that he helped somebody—that’s what he would have wanted,” she says. “To me, he’s living on.”
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.