Ten-year-old Tommy Weiss would do anything for a friend or family member. He made friends easily. A car accident left Tommy in coma, leading to his death in the hospital. His parents discussed donation, and decided that Tommy would be an organ donor. Donating his heart to someone in need would have come naturally to Tommy. "Tommy would be gratified that his heart recipient, who was 13 years old at the time and is now a Stanford graduate, and his family have become an important part of our family. This is the beauty that arose from a tragedy," said Tommy's mother Donna.

Tommy's Story

Ten-year-old Tommy Weiss would do anything for a friend or family member. He made friends easily.

A car accident left Tommy in coma, leading to his death in the hospital. Tommy's mother, Donna Telles, was initially apprehensive about donating Tommy's heart. "My life changed in an instant and I wasn't ready for the change, let alone the decision on whether to donate Tommy's heart," said Donna.

His parents discussed donation, and decided that Tommy would be an organ donor. Given his kind and caring nature, donating his heart to someone in need would have come naturally to Tommy.

"Tommy would be gratified that his heart recipient, who was 13 years old at the time and is now a Stanford graduate, and his family have become an important part of our family. This is the beauty that arose from a tragedy," said Donna. "Meeting the recipient family changed my life forever. Since then I've attended two U.S. Transplant Games with the mother of Tommy's heart recipient, as well as one in which her son competed."