Angela Marie Guest began college as a nursing student in 2009. Angela's last week of life included a special trip to see her uncle. During dinner, Angela suffered an unexplainable stroke and died 24 hours later. She was only 19. A week before Angela's death, she was reading about another young girl's death and with confidence told her mother and sister, "I want to donate all my organs when I die." She did just that, helping to save seven lives. "Angela always wanted to help others and this was her greatest gift," said her mother Susan. "It gives us great joy to know that Angela is still helping others even after her death."

Angela's Story

Angela Marie Guest was born July 31, 1991. She was the Guests' third child and a true joy from the beginning. She attended school in Allen, Texas and graduated high school in 2009. Angela began her college experience at Abilene Christian University, where she was studying nursing.

Angela was a talented artist and photographer; she was active and she loved to travel. Angela's last week of life included a family wedding, ski trip, work at an after-school program, evenings out with friends, and a special trip to see her uncle in Austin, Texas. During dinner with her uncle, Angela suffered an unexplainable stroke and was pronounced brain dead 24 hours later. She was only 19.

A week before Angela's death, she was reading about another young girl's death and with confidence told her mother and sister, "I want to be cremated and to donate all my organs when I die." When the doctors told the family that Angela was brain dead, they immediately told the nurse that Angela had wanted her organs donated even before the staff mentioned the topic.

Angela was able to donate all eight organs and helped to save seven lives. Before they took her to the operating room for the donation surgery, one nurse told the family, "You are in this room experiencing the worst day of your life, yet in seven other rooms just like this, people are experiencing their best day, a day of hope and anticipation." Angela always wanted to help others and this was her greatest gift. "It gives us great joy to know that Angela is still helping others even after her death," said her mother Susan.

Making the decision to donate Angela's organs was easy for her family because they had talked about it before the tragedy of Angela's death happened. "We knew her wishes and had no doubt that it was a way for her to help others and in some way, for her to live on," said Susan. "We look at it as taking a terrible situation and having something good come from it. She saved others!"