Lindsey Sendelbach, Tissue Donor

July 13, 2005 will forever be a day of both joy and loss. On this day, we celebrate our granddaughter’s birthday, while mourning the death of our youngest daughter, Lindsey, who was taken in a car accident. As you can imagine, this date has been a bittersweet moment for all of us, as we try to balance the conflicting emotions we endure each passing year.

Rewind a few months before Lindsey’s passing, she’d made it quite clear that she was a strong advocate for organ and tissue donation and insisted that we all consider making the choice to be one as well. Little did we know that we’d be honoring her wishes so soon after that poignant conversation.

Through Lindsey’s generous gift, she was able to provide tissue and corneas for several recipients. Knowing she lives on in others who were in dire need has helped us cope with our tragic loss. While our hearts still carry a heavy burden, we’ve been uplifted by the fact that others have benefited from her selfless choice. Since then, we’ve all become strong advocates for organ donation.

-Wanda & Louis Sendelbach, parents of Lindsey Sendelbach