Friday, August 28, 2003 started out like many other days for the Chamberlains. After school, seven-year-old Christian went to his grandparent's house where his mom, Tara, picked him up. On the way home, they were hit head-on by an SUV. At the hospital, test after test proved that Chris would be in a comatose state for the rest of his life. Two weeks after the accident, the Chamberlains made the decision to let Chris go peacefully. The Chamberlains' youngest son, Izayah, was born with a kidney condition, so Christian was very familiar with organ donation. "We decided to let Chris help others to have an opportunity to live healthier lives," said the Chamberlains.

Christian's Story

Friday, August 28, 2003 started out like many other days for the Chamberlain family. Christian and Izayah were getting ready for school. After school, Christian went to his grandparent's house and his mom, Tara, picked him up from there. As they started home, Chris and his mom discussed the upcoming three-day weekend and how excited they were to have a nice long break. "What happened next was something I would have never expected," said Tara. "We were hit head-on by an SUV that entered my lane." Things happened so fast that Tara was unable to get out of harm's way.

As Tara lay in the car on the ground, she could hear the voices of people trying to help. "I called to Chris but there was no response. I remember thinking this was a bad dream." At the hospital, a doctor approached Tara and told her that he would be taking care of Christian. He explained that the next couple of days would be critical to the outcome of Chris's life. Test after test was performed on Chris, and each one proved that he would be in a vegetative/comatose state for the rest of his life. To keep him like that was not in Christian's best interest.

Two weeks after the accident, the Chamberlains made the decision to let Chris go peacefully. Because the Chamberlains' youngest son, Izayah, was born with a kidney condition, Christian was very familiar with organ donation and how it could help benefit others who were in need. "He always talked about donating a kidney to Izayah should he need it. We decided to let Chris help others to have an opportunity to live healthier lives." His kidneys, liver, eyes, and heart valves were donated. Although he is not physically here, he has left a lasting impression through his gift of life.