SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – In honor of Valentine’s Day and National Organ Donor Day, heart transplant recipient Hal Etkin met with his donor’s father, Richard Teehan, for a special event at Springfield City Hall. We shared a moment.
They were joined by Springfield city officials, RMV leaders, and people still alive thanks to organ donation.
In New England in 2023, 549 deceased donors donated organs, resulting in 1,401 life-saving transplants. This record level of clinical activity ranks New England Donor Services among the top four organ procurement organizations in the country in donor volume.
Western Mass News spoke with Teehan and Etkin, who attended the event.
Richard Teehan told us: We are all organ donors. Jack was a warrior. He was a great athlete, an all-state athlete. He was always so dedicated, kind and caring for all 26 years and we cherished every moment we had together. ”
Representatives from the Registrar of Motor Vehicles attended today’s event because the majority of Bay State people who register as organ and tissue donors do so at the RMV.
Copyright 2024. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.
