What do you feel when you see this photo?
I feel love, support, strength and sadness. This was taken in a hospital. The room was full. There were people filling the hallways and waiting rooms. This is the last picture taken of my donor Katelyn.
Last week a friend texted me saying that a woman had messaged her on Facebook looking for me. Her name was Cari and she believed that I had received her daughter Katelyn’s heart. She was right. I called Cari right away and we talked for half an hour. I learned that Cari called Katelyn ‘her heart’. Katelyn was born with a tiny hole in her diaphragm that caused her intestines to float up onto her lungs. She had a 10% chance of surviving the surgery. She was a fighter. She not only survived but she thrived. Katelyn was a powerhouse at 4ft 11in and sang and danced with all her heart. She loved sunflowers and lived in Colorado. She had a contagious laugh and lit up every room she walked into with her smile. Katelyn wanted a family and children of her own. She loved to be outside and with her family. Katelyn earned a degree in healthcare administration. Her faith was unshakeable. Katelyn passed away on February 16, 2016.
Katelyn’s lungs saved a beautiful woman in her 50s that has four children. One of her kidney recipients had diabetes his whole life. He no longer needs medication. He is clear and free of diabetes. Another kidney recipient had kidney rejection and was close to death. The doctor said that Kaitlyn and him are a perfect match, as if they were twins. Katelyn’s heart saved my life. I was in heart failure for eight years.
Cari, Katelyn’s mother, is the definition of strength. When we spoke she told me, “I don’t want you to ever feel guilty. Katelyn’s death and her organ donation are two separate events for me.” I was amazed. Her ability to take that view is extraordinary. I believe Cari gets her strength from her faith and from Katelyn.
April is Donate Life Month. Look at all the lives Katelyn has saved. Katelyn’s death is a horrible tragedy. Her organ donation is a legacy. She made an impact in the world she left behind that will never be forgotten. Katelyn is very loved. She is thought about and prayed for every day.
Without further ado, everyone, I’d like you to meet Katelyn Mary Vanacore.
Courage, dear heart. ~C.S. Lewis
What a beautiful testimony to organ donation and life! God bless Katelyn’s family!
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What a beautiful tribute for a beautiful young women who left us too early. Kaitlyn inspired many in the few years she was here. Continue her legacy.
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Wow, I can’t say anymore💘
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My sweet Cousin, I miss her so much. ❤ Im so Happy you have Her Heart,
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Wow! Katelyn was such a beautiful young lady & she still lives on today! Thankful she was an organ donor – that ultimately gave her heart to a dear friend of mine!❤❤
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This is so touching – Katlyn lives on! I am so happy that she and Cari chose donation. I know Katlyn’s happy smile lives on in others now. Thank you for this story!
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Thankfulness is what I feel. She is beautiful inside and out. Her mom is courageous! My prayers are with you!
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Thankfulness is what I feel. Katelyn is beautiful inside and out. Her mom is courageous! My prayers are with you!
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This was such a blessing to read! J had the honor or working with Katelyn and being her friend for the last few years of her life, and I’ll tell you that you received the best of the best heart. She was such a bundle of sunshine and lit up every room she walked in!
I’m so glad to see that her heart went to someone who appreciates it and embraces life the way you do!
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I believe you and Katelyn would’ve been the best of friends, given the chance. She is so much like you!
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Thank you for sharing Katelyn’s story.
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