BJ Ala’ilima had a smile that was contagious and a heart that was bigger than he was. The youngest of five brothers, he was a gentle giant at 6’3”. The age group of his friends ranged from little kids to grown adults.

BJ loved music, but football was his passion. His favorite team was the Raiders. There is no doubt that BJ would have made it to college playing football, said his mother, Marilyn Hopkinson. His ultimate dream was to play pro ball. His high school, Gardena High, retired his jersey number, 58, at the home game dedicated to BJ on the night of his organ donation recovery surgery.

On Halloween night in 2005, 14-year-old BJ went trick-or-treating with family members. The next morning, BJ woke up for school but complained of being dizzy and said his head hurt. When he fell down, his mother called 911, and he was rushed to one hospital, then to another that specialized in pediatrics. After an emergency craniotomy, BJ was put on a ventilator for seven days. But tests revealed that he was brain dead.

On November 8, the decision was made to remove BJ from the ventilator, and BJ passed away peacefully with his family and friends by his side. What was not known until after his death was that BJ was born with an arteriovenous (A/V) malformation which had caused a brain aneurysm.

Through BJ’s death, he gave life to four other people with the donation of his heart, liver, kidneys and pancreas.