Mother Shares Son’s Life-Saving Organ Donation Story Ahead of Mother’s Day
RALEIGH, NC (WWAY)– Mother’s Day is special for most people, but for one mom, every moment is a gift with her youngest son.
Four-year-old Corbin now spends his days running, laughing, going to daycare and celebrating holidays with his family. But his life began with a difficult fight for survival.
“My son Corbin was diagnosed at about 2 months old with biliary atresia and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency,” said his mother, Lindsey Westendorf.
Corbin was born with two rare diseases that caused severe nutritional problems, inflammation and ultimately liver failure. When he was just 5 months old, doctors determined he would need a liver transplant.
“Hearing that your son’s terminal and going to be put on a transplant list — it’s the most earth-shattering thing that you can even imagine,” Westendorf said.
As Corbin waited in the hospital surrounded by tubes and monitors, his family hoped for a miracle. That miracle came when another family, facing unimaginable loss, made the decision to become organ donors.
“That decision saved my son,” Westendorf said. “Every time I look at him, I think about that family, and I’m just so grateful.”
Thanks to that gift — and the support of HonorBridge, A North Carolina organ donation organization — Corbin is now thriving.
His story has become so meaningful that HonorBridge chose to feature him on its honor wall in Chapel Hill, which recognizes organ donors, recipients and donor families.
“We have an honor wall at our HonorBridge facility in Chapel Hill,” said spokesperson Dena Daw. “We have pictures of recipients, donors and donor families, and little Corbin is on that wall.”
Now, Westendorf hopes to help other families by sharing Corbin’s story and encouraging people to register as organ donors.
The message became even more personal after her father recently died following a series of strokes. Westendorf says her family explored organ donation for him as well, though he was ultimately not a candidate because of his condition.
“We kept him on life support to make those final decisions for him,” she said. “We met with HonorBridge because we knew donation was so important to us.”
As she reflects this Mother’s Day, Westendorf says she hopes others will consider the impact organ donation can have on families like hers.
“Hold your babies tight,” she said, “and choose donation, because it blesses so many families.”
To become a donor, you can register at the DMV, or head to HonorBridge’s website
