Donor Hero

My daughter, Abigail “Abbey” Mae Conner, was a 20-year-old college student who passed away tragically from a pool accident during her winter break with her brother in Cancun, they both were found unconscious, face down in chest deep water in the resort’s pool. Unfortunately, Abigail didn’t make it even after medical intervention. She was in junior year at the University of Whitewater, WI majoring in Public Relations. She was a smiling and loving young lady who was loved by so many people.

Abbey’s Gift of Donation has allowed four males, ages of 20-60, to live through the donation of her organs. In addition, her eyes and tissues were donated whereas even more people benefited to having their sight restored and living better lives.

In honor of Abbey and to help me deal with my own grief, I cycled 2,000+ miles across the country. I left Madison, WI on May 22, 2017 and arrived in Fort Lauderdale, FL on July 10, 2017. The Finish Line at Broward Medical Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL is where Abbey was transported, received exceptional care, and prepared her for the donation of her organs for transplant. The hospital and Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency, University of Miami, took exceptional care of my daughter during the organ donation process.

Throughout ny entire ride, I brought awareness to the impact of organ donation and how important the gift of life truly is when tragedy shows up on your doorstep. It’s your legacy. Question that, what could be a better legacy to leave behind than saving a life? Along my route I asked people to register online to become organ donors.

I cycled six days a week at an average of 60-65 miles per day. I made a special stop on June 18, 2017, on Father’s Day, in Baton Rouge, LA. This is where I had the pleasure of meeting Abbey’s heart recipient, Jack Loumouth Jr. And his family. I listened to Abbey’s heartbeat. It was a very special day as two fathers celebrated Father’s Day together. I celebrated knowing Abbey lives on in this young man and Jack’s father celebrated his son’s life. Jack is alive. Abbey is alive in Jack. It’s her heart that gave life to another. For the cycling journey across the country, there was a driving force behind every push of the pedal. Organ donation and carrying Abbey’s name forward, as that’s what she’d would have wanted me to do. So I did!

- Bill Conner (Donor Father)