Hospital Gives Heartwarming “Honor Walk” To Father Whose Organs Saved 50 Lives.

Aug 01, 2019 by apost team

Carrie Schneiders of Cincinnati, Ohio is at the center of an inspiring story of loss and salvation. In the darkest moment of her life, the young mom of three was able to save the lives of dozens of complete strangers.

Carrie’s story begins on a night just like any other last June. As her husband, Cletus, was finishing dinner, Carrie went into the next room to check on their children.

According to Carrie's GoFundMe page, when Cletus didn’t respond to a question Carrie asked from the next room, she went back to the family’s dining room to be horrified by the sight of her husband choking on a piece of steak. As Cletus collapsed, Carrie called 911 and began performing CPR.

Despite Carrie’s best efforts and the work done by expert teams of paramedics and doctors, Cletus was declared brain dead two days later at Mercy West Hospital.

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Shocked and uncertain of what to do, Carrie faced the agonizing decision of whether to donate Cletus’s organs. Thinking about her husband, Carrie knew that he would choose to donate his organs and gave the hospital permission to harvest them.

Recognizing the painful decision Carrie made, over 150 people came to pay tribute to Cletus in an honor walk.

Everyone present, including, doctors, nurses, police officers, and friends of the family, expressed their appreciation for the sacrifice the Schneiders family was about to make As Carrie said goodbye to her beloved husband, everyone in attendance offered their support to the heartbroken mom.

In her grief, Carrie decided to take a picture of the honor walk. Carrie later told reporters at WLWT how she drew strength from the words of comfort from complete strangers who viewed the photo.

One comment from a man from Oregon was a significant light in Carrie’s darkness. Carrie said how the man had a failing liver and, thanks to the kindness of a donor much like Cletus, he was able to see his grandchildren grow up.

The man who got Cletus’s liver, John Mock, wanted to show his immense appreciation for everything Carrie had done for him. A month after Cletus’s passing, John and his family were able to meet the Schneiders at the Cincinnati office of the LifeCenter Organ Donor Network. In the tear-filled meeting, Carrie and John felt an instant rapport, promising to remain friends for life.

While Carrie and her family have begun healing emotionally, they continue to feel the pangs of Cletus’s loss in their financial wellbeing as Cletus was the only person who worked in the household. To help ease the harm his loss caused the family, friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help with Carrie’s finances.

What do you think of Carrie donating her husband’s organs? What would you do in a similar situation? Let us know in the comments - and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!