Alexis was ‘larger than life’ according to her sister, Jenell. She was almost six feet tall and commanded a presence when she entered a room. But it wasn’t just her height; it was her energy, her zest for life and her love of people.
One day, Alexis came home after discussing organ donation in school and told her mom that if anything happened to her, she wanted to be an organ donor. She sounded excited about the fact that she could save someone else when she was gone. A few years later, Alexis was traveling home from a church sponsored youth activity when the van she was riding in was involved in an accident. She did not survive.
When her parents were approached about the possibility of organ donation, they remembered their conversation and were comforted to know this was what Alexis would want. She gave four people a second chance at life.
Jenell carries on her legacy by educating students about the importance of donation and telling them about Alexis. She describes Alexis as a ‘champion of the underdog.’ She was a friend to everyone and it was important to her that everyone felt included. In high school, she was involved in basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, drill and drama. She had recently graduated from high school and was planning to attend college on a drama scholarship.
Alexis passed away in 1990. She made the decision to be an organ donor at a time when many people were still unfamiliar with life-saving miracle of transplantation. Today, her story continues to help others make the decision to become an organ donor.
