In Death, Brittany Barnstable Provides New, Improved Life for Others

At the very same time the Whitnall High School student body, faculty and staff were joined by Brittany Barnstable’s parents and grandfather for a photo on Falcon Field on Monday to celebrate the life of the 15-year-old freshman, Brittany’s organs were being transported to recipients in need of transplants.

As family, friends and classmates gathered to remember Brittany, as many as eight other lives were on the verge of receiving a second chance.

Brittany died Sunday as result of head injuries suffered when the bicycle she was riding was struck by an SUV a day earlier on Sunnyslope Road in New Berlin.

'There Wasn't Much Choice'

Her parents, Brian and Michelle, decided to donate their daughter’s organs.

“To me, there wasn’t much choice,” Brian Barnstable said. “There was no saving her. Once that was established, there’s no reason why someone else shouldn’t benefit. It was a tough decision but at that time it was the only decision to make.”

The Barnstables already had a tragic history with organ donation prior to Brittany’s accident. Nineteen years ago, Michelle’s sister, Colleen, died as a result of a car accident, and Michelle’s parents made the same difficult decision Michelle and Brian made Sunday.

“Colleen’s heart is still beating 19 years later, and the gentleman who received it is now a grandfather,” Michelle said.

The Barnstable’s oldest daughter, Colleen, a Whitnall senior, is named after Michelle’s late sister.

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And Michelle’s good high school friend needed a double lung transplant to survive lung disease. It was through her friend that Michelle began attending the annual Transplant Games of America, and in recent years, Brittany had gone with her.

“There’s no doubt in my mind she would have said ‘yes,’” to donating her organs, Michelle said. “She didn’t have her driver’s license yet, but there’s no doubt she would have had her (donor) sticker.

“We’ve been part of the transplant community for years. For 19 years, I’ve thought of these issues in various different ways and heard very different stories. Maybe God, in his infinite wisdom, was preparing me for this day.”

Always remembered

After school Wednesday, Brittany’s friends were at the Barnstables’ Greenfield home, hanging out in Brittany’s room, sifting through memories. With Michelle, they reminisced about their friend’s feisty personality and good heart. Michelle said over the last year, Brittany had reached a new level of maturity; she was more giving of herself, thought more of others and was more dedicated and responsible.

Brittany was a talented artist and was on the Whitnall soccer team. She would get up early for weight training and cardio workouts, worked hard in school and at soccer practice and planned to follow in her sister’s footsteps and join Whitnall’s powerlifting team.

She enjoyed rollerblading down by the lake, and this winter, she often went ice skating with her mom at Red Arrow Park in Milwaukee.

“I will cherish that winter forever,” Michelle said.

Michelle said the outpouring of love and support from Whitnall, Greenfield and surrounding communities has been overwhelming. She thanked the first responders, the transplant donor network and everyone who has reached out to her family.

Brittany’s funeral service will be held at Faith Bible Church, 4175 S. 112th St., on Tuesday. A visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. will be followed by a 7 p.m. service. And while many will come to pay their last respects that evening, Michelle Barnstable knows her daughter will live on.

Through Brittany’s death, eight different lives were saved or improved with her organ donation.

“We prayed over Brittany’s body for all those recipients because they have a long road as well,” Michelle said. “They understand the severity because it’s often at the cost of another person’s life. It’s a hard thing to wrap your head around.

“Maybe people will think about this and will get the little donor sticker on their license.”

• Related: Whitnall rallies around Barnstable family.
• Related: Brittany Barnstable, a 15-year-old Greenfield girl, struck by an SUV while riding her bicycle.
• Related: 'Baby Autumn' Markos and her family have been on the other side of organ donation.