Kyndall Brown was was a bundle of energy who loved books, Elmo, bubbles and kitties. She made her parents, Broc and Jennifer, slow down and appreciate the small things in life. When Kyndall was 17 months old, she choked while eating lunch. After Kyndall was rushed to the hospital, Broc and Jennifer started thinking about organ donation as they slowly realized their daughter would not survive. By donating her kidneys, liver and heart valves, Kyndall made a difference in so many lives — not only those she saved, but those of the family and friends that would have suffered with the loss of their loved one's life as well.

Kyndall's Story

Kyndall Brown was Jennifer and Broc's first child. Born February 2, 2002 on her father's birthday, she was an active talker, using what most would consider an "amazing" vocabulary for her age. Kyndall was a bundle of energy who loved books, Elmo, bubbles and kitties. She made Broc and Jennifer slow down and appreciate the small things in life. Many times, a short walk with Kyndall could take an hour because she wanted to explore her surroundings, pointing out every ant and flower on the path.

When Kyndall was 17 months of age, Kyndall choked while she was eating her lunch of macaroni and cheese. Kyndall was unconscious when the babysitter reentered the room. Kyndall was rushed to St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis County where she was admitted to the PICU. The doctors explained what they would be watching for as indicators that brain death was occurring. One by one, throughout the night, those signs all began to occur. Broc and Jennifer remember looking across the bed at each other with disbelief. For three days, the family clung to hope while waiting for a sign that Kyndall would survive.

Broc and Jennifer started thinking about organ donation as they slowly realized their daughter would not survive. Upon the official pronouncement of brain death, the Browns asked for a representative from Mid-America Transplant Services, the regional organ procurement organization. Kyndall's doctor notified the family that the coroner's office would not allow her to be an organ donor because they needed to do a full autopsy given her age. Jennifer voiced to the doctor that under no circumstance should another family have to suffer the devastating loss that their family and friends were currently facing. Kyndall could spare at least one family from this horrific experience. Seeing their conviction, the doctor went back to the coroner's office.

In the end, Kyndall was able to donate her kidneys and liver as well as her heart valves. Her recipients included an adult male who received her kidneys and a one-year-old girl who received Kyndall's liver. Kyndall made a difference in so many lives — not only those she saved, but those of the family and friends that would have suffered with the loss of their loved one's life as well.