Like most parents, David and Janean Glass saw their daughter Hannah as a miracle. Even after her unexpected passing, she continued to be a miracle for others—because Hannah was an organ and tissue donor. Born on November 3, 2005, Hannah always carried a passion for learning and caring for others. She was a voracious reader and enjoyed practicing the piano more than most kids probably do. Her innate curiosity served her well in school, where she developed a keen interest in education. Hannah also demonstrated a natural gift for teaching at church.

“She was very active in our church’s kids’ program,” David said. “All the kids loved her because she took the time to get to know each of them, their dreams, and struggles. She would gladly put her own ambitions aside to help someone else.”

Since the age of 12, Hannah dreamed of attending college. At 16, she began working, eventually landing a job at Hobby Lobby, where she was promoted to customer service manager. All the while, Hannah pushed herself scholastically, enrolling in classes year-round.

When she graduated from high school, Hannah earned enough credits to be considered a second-semester college sophomore by the time she started at Maranantha Baptist University. At the time of her passing in November, she was an academic junior with an earned associate’s degree. Thanks to grants, scholarships, and prudent saving, Hannah was prepared to finish college debt-free. She even knew what her major would be.

“Hannah chose Secondary English Education as her major and was minoring in Teaching English as a Second Language,” David said. “Her goal was to teach English to high school students, and to those of any age who were learning it as their second language.”

Hannah was ambition personified. She had plans, and she was determined to see them through. But that all changed in November 2024, hours after the Glass family celebrated Hannah’s 19th birthday.

“We received a call from Hannah, back at her college dorm,” David said. “She was having an allergic reaction to a brownie that apparently contained some peanut.”

Hannah lived with a severe peanut allergy, so David and Janean wasted no time when she asked them to come see her. “By the time we reached her dorm room, the reaction subsided,” David said. “She was just frustrated, tired, and a bit embarrassed.”

Hannah seemed okay, though understandably exhausted from the ordeal. She figured she just needed to lie down and rest. Before they could breathe a collective sigh of relief, another problem developed. “She climbed into her bed on the top bunk to rest,” David recalled, “but as she rolled on her side, she began complaining of pain and difficulty breathing.”

They called 911 immediately. Shortly after, Hannah lost consciousness, and while in the ambulance, Hannah’s heart stopped for several minutes. “The last thing she knew was that we were there by her side,” David said. Doctors later discovered that a collapsed lung had led to dangerously low oxygen levels. With the insertion of a chest tube, her numbers immediately rose back to where they needed to be. From that point on, only time would tell how severely her brain had been damaged during that critical period.

“Four days later, after Hannah’s heart began slowing way down, the doctor rolled a chair into her room to talk to us,” David said. “At that point, we knew that we were at the end of her life.”

With the reality of Hannah’s condition sinking in, David and Janean were faced with an unthinkable decision. Should their daughter become a donor? How does a parent even approach such a question? However, a providential visit earlier that week helped guide their answer.

“During our second day in the ICU, a family member shared that he was being put on the organ donation list for a double lung transplant,” David said. “Within a few short months, he went from his normal active life as a police officer and dad into a wheelchair, tied to oxygen. Seeing him and his family made this ‘consideration’ became less theoretical and far more personal.”

Hannah was always a giving person, so for David and Janean, the choice was clear. Their daughter would be a donor. However, it didn’t make the decision any easier. The donation process meant that the doctors would need to keep Hannah on life support a little longer to preserve the organs for transplant. “We waited another day and a half with those feelings and under that incredible burden,” David said. “But we had to continue to hurt so that other people could have a chance to live.”

One week following Hannah’s 19th birthday, after an honor walk attended by three hundred friends and relatives, the Glass family stood outside the operating room, saying their final goodbyes. While no parent should go through what David and Janean experienced, they took comfort in how their daughter’s donation would bring hope to others.

“As difficult as it was, we understood that we were giving up something we couldn’t keep,” David said. “We thought of the other families, gathered in waiting rooms just like us, eagerly hoping to hear that their loved one would live.” Hannah was born a miracle, and it turns out she left this earth as one, too. Her organ and tissue donations saved four lives and restored sight to two others.

“She ended just as she lived it,” David said. “Always giving of herself, always helping others.”

The Glass family recently established a nonprofit called Hannah Helps in her memory. Its mission is to comfort those grieving a loss, raise awareness, and offer support to individuals with allergies. Hannah Helps also promotes organ donation while advocating for donor families and recipients. Through Hannah's life, memory, and story, the organization hopes to inspire others.

For more details, visit https://hannahhelps.blog/ or connect with them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/p/Hannah-Helps-61572790105576/.

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.