Mom of 4 died suddenly after giving birth—but her one decision before passing away helped save a dozen lives
Losing a loved one in an unexpected scenario can be devastating. A husband had to face a huge loss when his wife died a few days after the birth of their fourth child. The 34-year-old woman, Kathleen Thorson, had suffered an intracerebral hemorrhage, or a bleed in her brain, a few days after giving birth. She was rushed to the hospital and a brain surgery was performed. Unfortunately, she couldn't be saved and died a few days later. However, her one decision saved 12 people's lives and gave her family something to hold onto, per Good Morning America.
Couple Kathleen and Jesse from Medford, Oregon, became parents for the fourth time on December 29, 2019, when their son, Teddy, was born. The woman appeared healthy otherwise and there was no known cause behind her brain hemorrhage on January 3, 2020. Doctors performed a craniotomy on the woman, but she passed away some time later. Although it wasn't easy for the family, the woman had decided to donate 12 of her organs to save 12 people's lives and it was a positive moment for her loved ones. "I'm glad my kids will know their mom for doing that. My 7-year-old told his first-grade class that his mom has 'helped people,'" Jesse revealed.
"As we get to know more about that process...recipients who receive [Kathleen's] organs, it's something that will be continually lifting us," the husband continued. The man explained that his wife always wanted to donate her organs and her parents agreed to the decision as well. "It's an education I've never wanted. But it's something we're all proud of her for." Jesse and Kathleen met in high school and had been together ever since then. The couple got married on September 1, 2006. "We never spent a minute apart. We had 14 years and used every minute of it ... there are no regrets about how we spent the time, just about the amount of time we had."
"When our son Danny was born [six weeks premature], she asked if it was OK if she was 'just a mom.' I said, 'Absolutely.' That's when I decided to become a nurse. She wanted to be at home with her kids. That was her chosen career." The woman enjoyed being out in nature and baking pies. She was also a loving and caring person who found a way to get along well with everyone around her, per Jesse. "Her heart was wide open... Her heart and her kindness and her willingness to love, I'm making sure that's in every crack of my home and learning how to do all the things that she did while I was at work."
Richard Stubbs, a family friend, started a GoFundMe in Kathleen's honor to cover the medical expenses and the funeral costs. They managed to raise over $130,385. "Jesse has amazed us again and again. He has remained calm despite his crushing grief and he has been able to respect the wishes that Kathleen shared with him long before tragedy struck, that should anything happen to her, her organs should be donated to save others," Stubbs explained. The family friend promised to stay by the family's side along with his wife, Janae, to support them through their loss. "I feel like my wife collected an army of people similar to her, with very giving spirits and that has been evident in the last couple of weeks," Jesse went on.
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