Mom Finds Peace in Son's Death Through 'Tree of Life'

When Mindy Davis' 19-year-old son was killed in a skateboarding accident in Newport Beach three years ago, she knew that he wanted
his organs harvested to help others, so that's what she did, she recalled Monday on the eve of a memorial being unveiled at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian to organ donors.

"It was a great way to take a horrible day in our lives and make
something positive of it,'' she told City News Service. "We were able to donate his heart, two kidneys, his liver and his pancreas.''

Just last week, the family was able to meet the heart recipient, she said.

Before getting news that he would become a heart recipient "he called
his sister in Midwest and said it's over he was tired of doing the pills and they weren't helping and he felt defeated,'' Davis said.

Just as he arrived home he received the news of the organ donation,
Davis said.

When the heart recipient met the Davis family, Davis said she listened
to his new heart beating, "which was really special.''

Davis will join the families of other organ donors at the unveiling of a
"Tree of Life'' memorial at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian Tuesday afternoon. Davis will be among the speakers.