Percy Ethan-Todd Brooks

June 12, 2000 – June 22, 2023

Loving, kind, caring, adventurous, spontaneous, free-spirited, humorous, dedicated, courageous. 

These are only a few of the words that I would use to describe my brother, Ethan. My name is Cierrah and for 23 years, I was Ethan’s protector. He called me Cissy, a name that has stuck with me since. Ethan’s parents are Todd and Nicolette. No amount of words could describe the love we have for Ethan. From the time he was born, Ethan lived his life to the fullest. He never saw fear or danger. He only saw opportunity. A character trait that many may view as a negative is one of my favorite things about my brother. 

In the past few weeks I’ve learned a lot about Ethan and the kind of person that others perceived him to be. I have been able to see him for more than just my brother, but the kind of man he had grown into. I have heard time and time again of the kindness and generosity that was shown by him. At his funeral, someone mentioned to me that they had never seen so many people at a funeral. In truth, I had not either. We were most definitely expecting a large group just because of the amount of friends Ethan had made within the biker community. However, the amount of people that showed up for our sweet boy, left us speechless. 

Ethan was employed at Campbell Soup and was known by the majority of the staff there. They describe him as a hard worker, always with a smile, and having the unique ability to make you laugh in any sort of situation. I was told by several of his staff members there that while he was the youngest on the line, he was also one of the top paid employees. Only while being there a short time, he had managed to work himself up into higher paid positions. He most certainly worked a lot and often took several additional hours of overtime. This afforded him opportunities to meet more than just the regular staff that was employed during his normal shift. It goes without saying, Ethan had a dedication to his job and a work ethic that was unmatched. This is something that I have always believed that our daddy instilled in us as young children. Prior to working at the plant, Ethan was employed at Honda as a car salesman. At only 19 years old, he was named the top car salesman at his location. 

Ethan absolutely loved to be outdoors and had a big heart for his two Belgian Malinois, Ace and Gunner. It was a rare occurrence for you to see Ethan and not see his two pups following behind him. Ethan’s birthday was on June 12th and one of his closest friends shared with me that his only request for a birthday dinner was that his pups be allowed to join them. He trained them himself and this allowed him to take them into the public as he pleased. Ethan had a great sense of adventure. By the time he was 3, he could already ride a bicycle without training wheels. As he got older, he found a love for various atv’s and motorcycles. When he was not at work, you could find him riding his red Harley Davidson, fishing or even hunting with his “boys”. 

On June 18, 2023, my baby brother was in a motorcycle accident. When we got the call, I of course ran to find him, but while I was worried, I still believed he was going to be just fine, like he always was. You really just had to know Ethan to understand why I say this. He was once in a 4-wheeler accident where he’d hit a stop sign in the dark going 70-80 miles per hour. After the accident, he returned to the scene and took the stop sign home with him. He still had it, to this day. I never could have imagined that his motorcycle accident would have led me to this moment. After the motorcycle accident, his family was informed that he had severe brain trauma, swelling and bleeding on his brain. This meant that there was a certain time where Ethan had lost oxygen from his neck and above. There was nothing they were able to do for him and told us to prepare to say goodbye. This was the darkest moment of my life by far. I am 26 years old, three years older than Ethan. In all of those years, I had never experienced heartbreak like I did in those words. Even now, when I really think about what has occurred in the past month, my brain just cannot comprehend those words. For nearly a week, I sat, ate, and slept in a hospital room next to my baby brother. Even though the organ donation was already received and scheduled, my heart still hoped for a miracle for him. I waited and waited for him to open his eyes and wake up to all the crazy things we’d filled his room with. He was such a tough guy on the outside and we frequently joked about him hating everything we had decorated the room with. Day after day, the hospital was flooded with strangers that we had never met, but people that shared their most precious moments that they had spent with Ethan. Even in those moments of heartbreak between his family and his friends it made me so happy to know just how loved he was by others.

I hope that in reading this letter you can see the life that Ethan lived and know that he would have made the exact same decisions that his sister did. Never did I imagine that I would have to make these decisions. In fact, up front, I have always said no to organ donation. It was just always one of those things that seemed wrong. But, when I was told my brother was not coming back my mission became making sure that he lived on, regardless of what way. The decision to make him an organ donor was effortless for me. While I was saddened to be losing my brother, my heart rejoiced at the idea of not only allowing him to continue living, but in the fact that we had the ability to allow him to save the lives of so many other people. Up to the very morning of Ethan’s procedure, I was still pondering ways in which he may be able to help someone else. This was the moment in which we made the decision to donate Ethan’s corneas. As soon as the thought presented itself to me in the hospital, I knew this was the right thing for Ethan. We were calling him a miracle the day of his accident and we are still calling him one now. You, your life, your purpose, you are a part of his miracle. No amount of thank you’s or appreciation could ever explain the gratitude I hold in my heart for you.

More than anything, I want you to know that your life is special. Your life is valuable. I am thankful for your life. This paper I was given speaks about survivor’s guilt, but I want you to know there is no reason for you to have anything of the sort. You’re probably thinking that I don’t understand because I am not in your shoes and you are most definitely right. But in the very end, there was nothing I wanted more for my brother than to be able to give his life for others and in my heart, I know he would have done the same for me.

My greatest wish for you is that you live life just like he did-

Freely, happily, and like everyday is your last.

With Love,

Cierrah (Ethan’s Cissy)

Dylan Charles Stone easily won the hearts of nearly everyone he met. He had a warm demeanor and a friendly vibe that made others happy to help him out anytime he asked. His family and his friends had his unwavering devotion. He was entertaining and funny and one of the most approachable people you could ever meet. He especially loved spending time with his loved ones. His quick wit, happy-go-lucky attitude, and infectious grin made everyone he connected with feel better and his family absolutely adored him for it.

He was a huge sports fan and a die-hard supporter of the Washington Capitals, and the Florida State Seminoles, and he never wavered in his allegiance to his hometown NFL team, the Washington whatever they’re called these days. He developed a lifelong passion for and expertise in constructing and collecting intricate lego sets, especially anything Star Wars related. He was a creative chef who approached food with the same whimsey and fun as he did most things in life. He was a major movie buff who never missed the opportunity to catch the latest horror flick or hilarious comedy film and could often be heard laughing out loud to himself while binge-watching shows like Sponge Bob, The Family Guy, or Bob’s Burgers on Comedy Central. One of his favorite past-times was listening to music. Dylan’s interests ranged from Mac Miller to Chicago to Cage the Elephant and over time he developed an impressive knowledge base of songs and artists from almost every genre.

Born with a fighter’s spirit and the soul of a champion, Dylan always found a way to make the most out of difficult situations. Despite all the health issues he faced throughout his precious 28 years, he always looked on the bright side of life and he never let go of his “get knocked down 7 times, get back up 8” mentality. This was most recently evident last month when he proudly celebrated over 500 days of sobriety. Dylan’s most courageous and selfless gesture was his priceless gift of organ donation. He donated 6 of his major organs, saving the lives of 4 individuals that will have a long-lasting impact on those families for generations to come. He leaves behind a beautiful legacy.

Emily Beyea was only 10 years old when she passed away. However, in that time she managed to spread a lifetime of love, caring, joy and silliness throughout her world. “She was a sassy, outspoken, beautiful, activist, who saw the world as it should be… and saw the best in people,” says her mom, Tyler.

Emily’s love for helping others made her family’s choice to donate her organs and eye tissue an obvious one.

From an early age, she found many causes to get involved with, from sea turtle care to national park conservation to polar bear protection. She was a regular volunteer at the nonprofit Tyler works for, which feeds children at risk for hunger. Emily even created an “adopt-a-thon” there where each child could “adopt” a stuffed animal — most of which were from her own collection.

She loved the sand and the sea, enjoying vacations with her mom, dad (Bill) and older brother (Billy) to Jockey’s Ridge in the Outer Banks. And she was always joking, making funny videos and talking with anyone she met. “She was the silliest person you would ever meet,” Tyler explains. “Emily just loved doing simple things. She brought so much brightness into the world.”

Although an undiagnosed food allergy took her life, Emily lives on in many ways through the immeasurable amount of compassion, happiness and generosity she inspired around her. Emily’s family still comes across funny video clips of her that she didn’t get around to sharing with them. They continue to contribute to causes she supported, and they draw strength from knowing that she would want them to keep reaching out to help others. “It can be hard to get out of bed some days,” says Tyler. “But I know Emily would be none too pleased if I didn’t.”

Because of how Emily lived to help people, the decision to donate wasn’t even a question. Of course, it is what Emily would have wanted them to do. And it provides them with some measure of comfort to know that her eyes and heart have made a life-changing difference for others.

“Knowing there are people out there who see and live through her, helps so much in our healing,” says Tyler. “Her expressive eyes, who saw the world in a different way, full of wonder and whimsy, and her huge heart, used to love and be loved by all.”

The heartbreak of losing their daughter led Tyler and Bill to start a local chapter of Compassionate Friends, a support group and network for parents who have lost children. The couple is also active in allergy awareness and organ donor organizations. “The lessons Emily has taught us are: Be Kind, Live Simply and Be Silly,” Tyler adds. “This is how we try to get through each day without her.”

You wanted to know about my mother. She was a beautiful and kind woman. She also was a God-fearing woman and never knew a stranger. She would carry a conversation with you, like she had known you her whole life. 

She had a heart of gold and would do anything to help a person in need. I think coffee was her favorite drink, lol. She has seven kids and a beloved cat smoky that truthfully was just like her 8th kid. That was who our beloved mother was.

Thank you for giving us the chance to tell you about her and letting her be a donor. She would have been so happy to be able to help someone else. 

The following is the second in a two-part story of the special connection between the family of tissue donor, Tim Page, and the recipient of his donated corneal tissue, Wendy Bolling.

The following is the second in a two-part story of the special connection between the family of tissue donor, Tim Page, and the recipient of his donated corneal tissue, Wendy Bolling.

Timothy Nathaniel Page, Jr., was a loving person. He loved his family — his father, his mother, his sister and his four daughters and nieces and nephews. He loved food. He loved to tell jokes. He always had a smile on his face. He loved the Lord. And he loved people.

“To meet him was to know him,” says his mother, Sararecia Long. “He was a funny, bubbly person and was well-liked.” Although his life changed when his father passed away, he tried to stay strong, and made sure to be present in his daughters’ lives. TJ and his sister had a bond like no other. “I love my son. And nothing would ever change that,” she adds.

According to Sararecia, Tim and his sister, Teioyannah Page, were very close. And she is glad that they were able to share that bond over the years. “My birthday in 2021 was the last time I saw him,” says Sararecia.

A month later, Tim passed away. However, his loving spirit lives on through the wonderful memories of him and through his decision earlier in life to be an organ donor. In fact, it didn’t take long for that act of selfless generosity to make a difference in someone else’s life.

Only weeks after Tim’s passing, his cornea tissue was used to help restore Wendy Bolling’s vision through life-changing transplant surgery.

Wendy, who had struggled with her vision nearly her entire life, was able to regain her independence and was inspired to reach out through Miracles In Sight to express her gratitude for what this amazing gift had made possible for her.

While donor families can and often do choose to share stories of their loved ones, Tim’s mother was interested to know that her son’s choice to be an organ donor had been able to make a difference for someone. And with Wendy eager to get in touch, Sararecia and Teioyannah agreed to talk with her.

Tim’s family and met Wendy (along with her mother) in October 2023, nearly two years after he passed away and made the gift that restored Wendy’s sight. The group shared lunch at a popular restaurant in Burlington, NC, enjoying a beautiful afternoon together and forming a special relationship that Wendy and Sararecia intend on nurturing for years to come.

“The morning before we met, I was a nervous wreck,” says Wendy. “But it was like we had known them for years. They are wonderful people. I can never thank them enough.”

“To say that it was a blessing would be an understatement,” says Sararecia. Our family would like to thank Miracles In Sight for standing by us and guiding us through this difficult transition. May God forever bless you.

If you want to read more about Wendy’s experience as a transplant recipient, you can find her story in Part 1 here.

Michelle DeHart loved life and lived life to its full potential. She traveled to many places, and in her last year of life, she was able to visit her favorite destinations with her husband Tim, embark on a cross-country RV road trip with her daughter Samantha, and then help plan and witness her daughter Cassidy’s wedding.

Michelle battled lung cancer for 8 years, but she never let it hold her back. She loved running, yoga, going on evening walks with her husband and dogs, camping, gardening, sunflowers, fishing, shopping, traveling, beach trips, hiking, nature, talking with her many best friends and family, as well as caring for her pets and grandpets. She cherished her husband and daughters more than anything and constantly expressed how proud she was of them.

Michelle was a beautiful soul who could light up a room with her smile. She loved making everyone feel special, as if they were the most important person in the world. Her caring nature led her to make it her mission to encourage, inspire, and be a friend to others going through cancer.

Michelle had a genuine passion for giving. Whether it was mentoring those fighting cancer, dedicating all her free time to making people feel cherished, or creating delightful surprises for her husband, daughters, and son-in-law on occasions like Christmas, Birthdays, Easter, and Valentine’s Day. She made every event special. She wanted everyone around her to feel like the most important person in the world. Even after her passing, she was able to give through her cornea donation. For that, we are grateful.

To the recipient of her donation: We will always think of you and pray for you. Our Michelle was selfless and loved fiercely. She saw so much beauty in this world, even through the most difficult times. She was a shining light to anyone who met her. She loved to quote, “Live the life you love, love the life you live.” Thank you for carrying her with you.

Michelle leaves behind a legacy of love, kindness, and selflessness. The world is undoubtedly a better place because of people like Michelle. May her memory continue to live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved her, and may her example of love and generosity continue to inspire others.