Abbey was an ordinary young woman with an extraordinary heart. Ordinary in the sense that she loved music, fashion, binging her favorite Netflix series, and hanging out with her friends. What made her extraordinary was her heart. From the time she was a young girl she had a special intuition and sensitivity to other people that almost seemed as if she could read other’s minds and even feel what they were feeling; an empath some might say. Her friends described her as the one person they could share their deepest thoughts with because they knew they were safe with her. Abbey was a gentle soul, and this was evident by how animals reacted to her. She loved all creatures, and they loved her back. From the spider in the fire pit to the cows at the local dairy. What she really loved was cats, and spent a few hours each week volunteering for a local cat shelter. In her teenage years she started to find interest in the medical field and started to explore different professions. She wanted to save lives. This interest stemmed from her Biology classes in high school. This interest was so great that when she was turning sixteen, she was more excited that she would be eligible to donate blood than she was to get her driver’s license. She donated blood regularly for about three years and was very proud of that. With turning sixteen also came the driver’s license and the conscious choice to be an organ donor. Her Choice! That simple act saved eight lives in the end. After succumbing to a traumatic brain injury, Abbey did what she set out to do when she was a teen. A teenage boy at the top of the list received her heart, a gentleman who referred to Abbey as his miracle can now spend time with his grandchildren after receiving a lung, and six others received life saving gifts. Abbey’s story will continue on through all of her recipients and all of the lives they touch.
My dearest Abs, my daughter, my friend. You are so loved and missed.
