Drew Swank was the sixth of eight children. He grew up with a passion for the great outdoors and had great fun playing soccer, football and snowboarding. Drew enjoyed history, geography and studying maps, and was a joy to talk to and spend time just hanging out. He suffered a severe head injury during a football game. "When our family was asked about organ donation, all of us strongly supported giving the gift of Drew's life to others. Drew is a hero in our eyes because his gift of life has saved and improved the lives of seven others," said his mother, Patti Swank.

Drew's Story

Andrew Freemont Swank, or Drew as he was known, was the sixth of eight beautiful children. His family moved to a home in the country when Drew was two years old, and he grew up with a passion for the great outdoors. He loved hiking, camping, hunting, fishing and exploring whenever he could. He would often tease that he was going to become a "mountain man" and live off huckleberries, which he loved. He also had great fun playing soccer, football and snowboarding. Drew enjoyed history, geography and studying maps. He was smart as a whip, but homework was not his favorite pastime.

He was tenderhearted; once on Valentine's Day, he gave a red rose to every girl in his ninth grade class. He didn't want any of them to feel left out. Drew was quick to ask forgiveness whenever he made a mistake and he never held a grudge. He was a joy to talk to, laugh with and spend time just hanging out. He was in joke mode constantly; you never knew what prank he might be up to next.

On Sept. 25, 2009, he suffered a severe head injury during a high school football game in Washtucna, Washington. He was airlifted to Spokane, where he underwent surgery to stop the bleeding and brain swelling. Drew fought for his life for two days before he passed away.

"When our family was asked about organ donation, we all strongly supported giving the gift of Drew's life to others," said his mother, Patti. "Drew is a hero in our eyes because his gift of life has saved and improved the lives of seven others. God is doing a great and mighty work through our son and brother.".

Drew's organ donation story has reached out to the nation through local news stations and "Drew's Story" on Inside the NFL. "It is so important to us that people know Drew's good, kind, thoughtful, pure and innocent ways," said Patti. "He would be honored to know that he gave the ultimate gift for others to live through organ and cornea donation. God has blessed our family so much to have had the pleasure of meeting two of Drew's organ recipients and their families! Our heartache and loss has brought great hope and joy to many.".