DALLAS — Faced with the most devastating day of their lives, the Burns family in McKinney was well within their right to say 'no' to organ donation. But more than a year after their painful loss they, along with three other families, are thankful they decided to say yes.
His name was Beau Brosius Burns, a 14-month old boy who loved to smile and clap and be the center of attention for his parents and his big sister Emma. But in June of last year, he wandered into a backyard swimming pool. By the time he was found and revived, his heart would still beat. But the brain damage was severe: Beau was gone.
"It was about four days after his accident that I realized that it would have to be a huge miracle. And if he did survive, he wouldn't be Beau," his mom Jenny Burns said through her tears.
So the family's decision led to an 'honor walk' at Children's Medical Center Dallas. Doctors and nurses lined the hallway as Beau, receiving final kisses from his family, was taken to one last operating room. His life was ending. But three more would live on.
"I'm going to be 100% honest with you. I didn't expect us to make it this far if it wasn't for the heart transplant," said April Flores of Glen Rose, Texas.
Her son Eli, born with a hypoplastic left heart and craniosynostosis, received Beau's heart. Flores says his health improved immediately, making him strong enough to survive the cranial surgeries he needed too.
"With a weak heart, there was no way he could withstand that surgery," she said. "They gave me very little hope. And with the heart transplant, everything changed."
Change, that made it possible for the Burns and Flores families to meet each other earlier this month at Southwest Transplant Alliance in Dallas. Rob and Jenny Burns were offered the chance to listen to Beau's heart again. April Flores also gave them a recording of the heartbeat, sewn inside a teddy bear.
"Eli's heart is Eli's heart. Beau donated it. It belongs to Eli. And we're so happy about that," Jenny Burns said.
"Beau saved Eli's life," Emma Burns said of her little brother.
"Were you proud of your brother?" Jenny Burns asked her.
"Yeah," the 10-year-old said.
"The opportunity that we got to give and to donate has really healed us," Jenny Burns said of her son. "And it gave Beau this huge purpose and gave him this hero status. And it just makes you breathe again. It makes you feel so good that there is somebody living because of him."
"We're so proud of Beau," she said.
"I'm just so grateful and thankful for them, just...everything," April Flores said, now holding her healthy son more than a year after the successful transplant. "And I'm going to take good care of our Eli. For them and for us."
"We just want to remind people that giving the gift of life is a beautiful and wonderful thing and we just encourage everyone to learn more and register their decision," said Emma Lunceford with Southwest Transplant Alliance, part of a nationwide network of agencies that are responsible for coordinating the recovery and allocation of organs and tissues.
"You are meeting that family on the worst day of their life. But they have also said there is a lot of hope and healing that comes with knowing that their loved one gets to make a difference in at least one other person's life," Lunceford said.
In Beau's case, three lives. His heart went to Eli, his liver to another child, and his kidneys to an adult. The Burns family hopes to meet all of them eventually.
"That is our hope moving forward that we get to grow and watch these families thrive with Beau's donations," said Rob Burns.
But during our visit with the Burns and Flores families at the offices of Southwest Transplant Alliance, there was one other little boy that needed mentioning. A miracle baby born just last month. Beau's little brother. His name is Jack. The Burns family chose not to know the gender of the child until the day he was born.
"Definitely chosen by Beau," Jenny Burns said.
"Yep, it was a wonderful surprise," Rob Burns said.
And while he will never know his big brother, he will grow up knowing the hero his brother became.
"We knew it was our responsibility and our honor to be able to help and provide that and make that decision and it's the greatest decision we've ever been a part of," Rob Burns said of the decision to proceed with organ donation.
A decision made on the worst day of their lives. And a decision they hope they rest of us will consider when that day comes for the rest of us too.
If you would like to learn more about organ donation visit the website Organ.org.