Parents of 8-year-old Rochester boy who died donate his organs, say he lives on in others

Star-Tribune | Heather J. Carlson, Associated Press

ROCHESTER, Minn. â€" At the age of 8, Christian Yang knew what he wanted to be when he grew up.

"When I grow up, I want to be in law enforcement or a firefighter. I want to help people," Christian would tell his father, Tony Yang.

Christian never got the chance to fulfill those career dreams. But the Rochester boy did help the lives of five people he never met. After Christian suffered a fatal brain aneurysm on Oct. 25, his parents made the decision to put him on life support for two additional days so that his heart valves, kidneys, liver and spleen could be donated to others.

At his son's bedside, Tony Yang explained his decision to his youngest child.

"While I was with him, I said to my son, 'I know I did not get a word from you about donating your organs, but I know in your lifetime you always put other people first and you always wanted to help other people.'"

Every year, more than 100,000 people are on a waiting list for an organ transplant, according to LifeSource Organ Procurement manager Joshua Korthouse. Children on the waiting list face major challenges finding a donor because they not only have to have the same blood type, but the organ has to be the right size.
______________________________________________________ 
"You have the power to SAVE lives." 
To register as a donor TODAY
In California: 
www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org | www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org 
Outside California: 
www.organdonor.gov | www.donatelife.net

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