Charles Robert “Robbie” Sisemore marched to the beat of his own drum, sometimes at great personal sacrifice. His mother, Tammy, recalled that he was the kind of person who saw the quirks in people that others made fun of as signs of character that he wanted to explore. He had lots of people who cared about him. He listened intently, loved deeply and shared all that he was with the people who were close to him. He also had very normal teenage traits, forever testing his boundaries and listening to music too loud.

“Sometimes I wonder if Robbie knew how short his life on earth was going to be and wanted to experience as much as he could,” said Tammy. “When Robbie was 14, we had watched a show that caused me to ask him how he felt about organ donation. He plainly said, ‘If I don’t need them anymore, give them to someone who does.’ I never dreamed the weight that conversation would carry.”

Two years later, in 2002, Robbie was involved in a serious car accident.

“I always thought I knew how I felt about organ donation – that was, until I was faced with making that decision for my child,” said Tammy. “After four months of Robbie being in a coma, in and out of hospitals, I didn’t think I had anything left to give. When I was asked if I would talk with someone about organ donation, I kind of nodded my head. After they went through all of our options, my 14-year-old daughter reminded me of the conversation I had had with Robbie, and I knew I couldn’t do anything but honor his wishes. It’s a decision I have never regretted. I truly believe I prayed four months for a miracle and in the end it came true. It was just somebody else’s miracle.”