2016 Lynden Bell

LYNDEN BELL

Organ Donor

Age 24 ~ Longview,  TX

Donated on 11/22/2012

at Good Sheperd Medical Center – Longview

Honored by organ.org

Lynden Bell was a compassionate twenty-four-year-old young man who was encouraging and empowering to everyone he met.  He happily greeted people with a smile – and had a way to make anyone feel better.  Music, poetry, playing and coaching street basketball are just a few of the hobbies he loved.  Family came first to Lynden, and he would always make time for them.  In 2012, the day before Thanksgiving, Lynden was walking from his home in Longview, TX to his girlfriend’s house, which was just a mile away, when he was struck by a drunk driver.  Amidst this great tragedy, Lynden’s mother LeNay Okeke made the decision to donate her son’s organs to help others. He was not a registered donor, however, LeNay knew “beyond a shadow of a doubt he would have wanted to help others by giving to those in need.  It was his dream to be epic and make a difference in life.”

Lynden’s Story

Lynden Bell was a compassionate twenty-four-year-old young man who was encouraging and empowering to everyone he met.  He happily greeted people with a smile – and had a way to make anyone feel better.  “[Lynden] could make you laugh on the worst of days,” said one of his close friends.  Music, poetry, playing and coaching street basketball are just a few of the hobbies he loved.  He had a crazy love for Roller Derby where he was known by his friends as “Ninjistic” – the referee.  Family came first to Lynden, and he would always make time for them.  He was even looking forward to starting a new job working beside his father at Trinity Industries.

In 2012, the day before Thanksgiving, Lynden was walking from his home in Longview, TX to his girlfriend’s house, which was just a mile away, when he was struck by a drunk driver.  He was taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center at Longview were he later passed away.

Amidst this great tragedy, Lynden’s mother LeNay Okeke made the decision to donate her son’s organs to help others. He was not a registered donor, however, LeNay knew “beyond a shadow of a doubt he would have wanted to help others by giving to those in need.  It was his dream to be epic and make a difference in life.”

Lynden made a difference that day by saving the lives of three complete strangers.

Since the passing of her son, LeNay Okeke has become an advocate for MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and a strong supporter of organ donation with Southwest Transplant Alliance.  LeNay is grateful to STA “because I feel my son’s life ended not in vain, but fulfilled his wish of being epic to let his legacy live on through others.”