On the day that Michael “Kip” Brooks, 32, and his wife, Shannon learned their second child's gender, they were also informed that she had a fatal condition called anencephaly, a neural tube defect resulting in most babies being stillborn. Kip and Shannon chose to carry to term in the hope of meeting their little girl. Skylar Tianna Brooks was born on August 7, 2010. “She lived for 99 minutes and in that time we loved, laughed, and cried,” Kip said. Determined to help others through donation, Skylar’s liver cells were donated to Cytonet, a research firm that uses the cells to prolong the lives of those in need of a liver. “We couldn’t be more proud of her or her journey,” said Kip. “All parents want their kids to change the world. Our angel is doing just that.”

Kip's Story

Michael “Kip” Brooks, 32, is a father of three who enjoys the martial arts, writing and reading. He works in automotive repair and owns the local Dent Clinic, which offers paintless dent repair and paint reconditioning.

In November 2009, Kip and his wife, Shannon, had a Thanksgiving surprise when they learned that their second child was on the way. They had been told they would not be able to get pregnant without assistance. Fighting all urges, they waited until Christmas Day to tell their family and friends; they thought the news would make a great gift for their son, Jadon. They scheduled a 3D ultrasound with a family friend, who suggested waiting a few weeks to ensure better pictures.

“As hard as it was, we waited until March 5,” said Kip. “Finally, our day had arrived; we would know the baby’s sex. We went in all excited. That’s when our lives changed forever. On that Friday afternoon, we found out that we had a little princess on the way. We also learned that she had a fatal condition called anencephaly, a neural tube defect resulting in most babies being stillborn.”

Kip and Shannon chose to carry to term in the hope of meeting their little girl, whom they named Skylar. “Our midwife brought up the idea of donation and immediately we had the answer to the ‘why.’ Why would we have a child with an incurable condition whose other organs were perfect?” Kip pondered. “We knew that Skylar’s purpose was to save another family from feeling what we were. We felt this was the highest honor we could give our daughter.”

Skylar Tianna Brooks was born on August 7, 2010. “She lived for 99 minutes and in that time we loved, laughed, and cried,” Kip said. “Faith Massey from ‘Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep,’ took the most amazing photographs detailing Skylar’s life. Tracy Winsor and Sandy Buck from ‘Be Not Afraid,’ gave us the love and support we needed throughout our journey that few others are capable of.”

According to the local donation protocol, anencephalic babies are not accepted as donors. However, Kip and Shannon were determined to achieve donation. After numerous attempts, and with help of LifeShare Of The Carolinas, Skylar donated her liver cells to Cytonet, a research firm that uses the cells to prolong the lives of those in need of a liver.

“In her extremely short but extraordinary life, she helped change donation forever,” Kip summarized. “We couldn’t be more proud of her or her journey. All parents want their kids to change the world. Our angel is doing just that.”