BRUNSWICK, Ga. – A family who lost a loved one around Thanksgiving is finally feeling a bit of joy knowing that her organs saved the lives of five people.
Megan Twist, 23, died last month in Brunswick after falling off a moving pickup truck that was being driven by her boyfriend.
Jane Hixson, one of Megan’s three sisters, said her family hopes to eventually meet someone who is living today because of Megan.
“It's sort of like swimming in an ocean, and at times, a big wave comes and crashes and brings you all the way down, and sometimes you're just hanging on to a life preserver kind of waiting and clinging on,” Hixson said of losing her sister.
Hixson said what’s keeping her family strong is knowing that five people who were once in critical condition are still alive after receiving Megan’s organs.
- Her heart is now beating in a 39-year-old man.
- Her lungs went to a 49-year-old man.
- Her right kidney helped a 25-year-old woman.
- Her liver went to a 64-year-old woman.
- Her left kidney and pancreas were donated to a 39-year-old woman.
“The miracle wasn't for Megan, it was from Megan,” Hixson said. “That her life would be used to save five other people, which did bring us some comfort at the time, knowing she was young and healthy and strong.”
Twist's family hopes they can meet some -- or even all -- of the recipients one day, to see a glimpse of Megan.
“It's fascinating and kind of eerie that a lot of the organ recipients will sometimes take on characteristics of their donors or, for example, a lot of times they start craving food they never liked before or start liking music that they never liked before,” Hixson said. “My sisters and I laugh. We're, like, well, the person is going to have some kooky musical taste and hopefully they'll inherit some of her free spirit.”
Brunswick police did not respond to requests for an update on the investigation.
Detectives are waiting for the toxicology results for Twist's boyfriend.
For more information on organ donation, go to http://www.transplants.org/facts-about-organ-donation.