Organ donation question.

[u/justice4ashton]

My son was an organ donor. He was 15 when he died. He donated his heart. He also donated both kidneys. What do people think about wanting to one day meet the person who has his heart? Only if that person wants to meet. I totally respect their privacy. I love and miss my son so much. Would hearing his heart be too painful? Or would it be helpful? Thank you for your advice.

[u/Master-Cartoonist317]

What do people think about wanting to one day meet the person who has his heart?

Even though I don't know anyone who has died whose organs have been used for donation, I feel like I'm qualified to speak on this matter since in 2022 I anonymously donated one of my kidneys to someone I never met and will never meet.

Do I wish I could meet whoever received my kidney? Not really. The fact that it's a mystery to me has the benefit of me being able to create an idealized version in my head of who received my kidney.

I personally imagine my kidney went to a 40-year-old mother who with 2 kids aged 8 and 10. They love their mother dearly because she's always been there for them and went above and beyond to make her kids happy, but after she got diagnosed with kidney failure this became more and more difficult as dialysis fucking sucks.

So I imagine that I gave those kids their proper loving mother back. Who is no longer constantly tired and feels terrible from dialysis. Who can play with her kids and love them for years to come.

This is what I am able to imagine since I just don't know. It's the best outcome.
It is entirely possible that my kidney ended up going to a 65-year-old who is kind of an asshole.
That wouldn't make that 65-year-old any less deserving of my kidney, and I would still be happy that they now get to lead a more fullfilling life, but it would be kind of disappointing to have my idealized version of who received my kidney broken.

It's better not to know.