John (Johnny) Talbot was a very special little boy with big blue eyes who always brought a smile to the faces of those who knew him. He was only two years old when a tragic car accident took his life and those of his father and aunt. "There was so much sadness happening in my life," said his mother Merry, who now helps other donor families as the director of Aftercare Services at Mid-America Transplant Services. "I wanted to be able to share a part of Johnny's special life through the gift of organ donation. It was the best decision I could have ever made." Johnny's gifts of a liver and two kidneys saved the lives of two children.

John's Story

Johnny Talbot was a very special little boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. From the beginning, he brought love and joy into his family. Johnny was born on his great grandmother's 70th birthday, which that year was also St. Patrick's Day. Everyone joked about his long feet. He had a sweet personality and loved being with people, riding his bike and playing on the playground with his friends.

On August 27, 1992, the family drove from St. Louis to Milwaukee to attend a family reunion that would attract family members from many parts of the country. Instead, the weekend turned into a horrible tragedy caused by one man who made the choice to drink alcohol, smoke marijuana and then get behind the wheel of a car. That evening, while traveling from one family member's house to another, he hit the Talbots going more than 60 miles per hour. Johnny's father Mark and his aunt were declared dead at the scene of the crash, Johnny sustained very serious head injuries and was immediately flown to a children's hospital. His mother and grandmother were also very seriously injured but thankfully survived.

The doctors worked heroically trying to save Johnny's young life, but he never responded. Although they were able to restart his heart, the head injuries he sustained prevented him from breathing on his own His mother Merry, also injured, remembers asking the doctors in the emergency room if he was that seriously injured and wasn't going to make it, would it be possible to donate his organs? She knew in her heart he was gone.

"At the time, there was so much sadness happening in my life. Mark and Johnny were both gone in an instant," she recalled. "I knew in the midst of everything going on around me, I wanted to be able to share a part of Johnny's special life through the gift of organ donation. It was the best decision I could have ever made."

Johnny was able to provide hope for two families whose children had been sick since birth. A young boy received his liver and a young girl his kidneys.

"I am so proud to be Johnny's Mom," affirmed Merry, who now helps other donor families as the director of Aftercare Services at Mid-America Transplant Services. "During the past 21 years I have been able to carry on his memory and celebrate the hope he provided to others."