2016 Matthew Patrick Walsh
MATTHEW PATRICK WALSH
Organ, Tissue, and Cornea Donor
Age 21 ~ Slidell, LA
Donated on 04/02/2006
at West Jefferson Medical Center
Honored by lopa.org
Matthew will be remembered by his family and friends for his beautiful smile. He was outgoing, personable, and loyal with a passion for both playing and watching sports. At just 21 years of age, Matthew was involved in a car accident that caused damage to his brain. Upon hearing that he would not survive, his mother, a surgical recovery room nurse, immediately requested that his organs be donated. Matthew’s heart, kidney, liver, tissue, bone, and corneas were all donated to help save the lives of those in need. Through receiving Matthew’s heart, recipient Raymond Stelly lived four more years, where he was able to walk two daughters down the aisle and see the birth of 2 grandchildren.
Matthew’s Story
On April 2, 2006, our 21 year old son Matt, was involved in a very serious car accident. He had sustained a massive brain injury from which he would not survive. As a surgical Recovery Room nurse, I was very familiar with caring for trauma patients and knew that those with severe brain injuries would not always survive. Once the horrible news was given to us that Matt would not survive, I requested that his organs be donated, as was his wish. His donation gave us much needed peace and comfort, especially knowing that by his generosity he would spare other families the pain of losing a loved one.
On Valentine’s Day 2007, we had the privilege of meeting Matt’s heart recipient, Raymond Stelly and his wife, Deborah. He was a husband, a father of 8 children and grandfather of 20. We would meet the entire family at the LOPA Donor Memorial Picnic later that year. It was at this time that we truly realized the enormous impact of Matt’s donation on just one family. Before his death in 2010 Raymond was able to walk 2 more daughters down the aisle and see the birth of 2 more grandchildren, totaling 22!
We have not met the other recipients but we know that a 12 year old girl received his kidney and a 47 year old female received his liver. Matt’s tissue, bone and corneas were also donated.
Matt’s choice to be an organ donor resonated with our entire family, extended family, friends and especially with his friends who are all registered organ donors.
As a proud volunteer for LOPA/Donate Life LA, I promote organ donation by telling Matt’s story to church groups, high school students as part of the Sudden Impact Program, and to community hospitals speaking to doctors and nurses not only from the perspective of a donor mom but as well as that of a medical professional.
At the time of his death, Matt was attending Southeastern University as a business major. He was very active in many sports from a very young age, especially soccer, baseball and basketball. He was full of life and enjoyed life immensely. Matt’s wonderful sense of humor allowed him to make friends easily and he was a loyal friend, sometimes to a fault.
Matt was a passionate Saints, Hornets and LSU fan and enjoyed attending their games. He loved his sister, Christen, and us very much and often expressed gratefulness for all we did for him. Matt held a special place in his heart for his loyal canine companion, Yaeger, a rescue. Our Matty had a beautiful smile and I try to wear it as often as possible.