FORT COLLINS, Colo. (KUSA) – The parents of a girl who died in a freak accident in their Fort Collins, Colorado backyard are sharing memories of their daughter.
“She had such a charming personality and such a bright character, just a really bright and radiant smile,” recalled the girl's father, Tom Masters.
Aurora Masters had a big smile on her face ready to share, he said.
“She was waving and smiling at people in traffic and trying to make them smile, and she'd say, 'They're all smiling,'” Aurora's mother, Crystal Masters, said.
The five-year-old's parents said Aurora loved living in the moment and playing in the garden.
The same happened on May 8th.
“She gave me a kiss and a hug and we walked out, like this was normal and this was life,” Crystal Masters explained. “She was just playing. She had a disc swing, which is like a rope swing with a little disc at the bottom.”
Within 15 minutes, a neighbor rang the doorbell to let her know something was wrong, Crystal Masters said.
“I saw her up in a tree with a swing around her neck,” Crystal Masters said.
“I begged, 'Please stop. She's a good kid. Please stop,'” Tom Masters added.
Aurora's parents wished they could see that smile and share that hug again.
“It felt like my life was over,” Crystal Masters said.
The girl's parents said they were both proud of their daughter. They were faced with a difficult decision: Aurora's parents decided to donate her organs.
“I'm proud of my daughter. I was always proud, but she just keeps giving and that helps me a little bit,” Crystal Matters said.
Aurora's organs were donated to the Donor Alliance, an organization that supports organ and tissue transplants.
“Right now, 1,300 people in Colorado and Wyoming are waiting for a life-saving organ transplant,” said Heather Burke of the Donor Alliance.
The charity said each organ donation could save up to eight lives.
The greatest gift Aurora can give us now is the gift of life.
“We know Aurora's heart is beating somewhere, and knowing that really gives us peace of mind,” Tom Masters said.
Copyright 2024 KUSA via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
