A LITTLE boy who died in a car crash has saved four lives – because he carried a donor card from the age of five.
Cole Gibson, seven, died last month when the car he was travelling in was involved in a head-on collision.
Today his mother revealed how her son’s tragic death had saved the lives of four other children.
Heartbroken Hazel Gibson, 43, from Fife, said it was “entirely typical” of her little seven year old son to want to help other people.
“A child under five got his heart, another got his liver, small bowel and intestines, and two others each got a kidney.”
“I wish them all the love and luck in the world and I hope they and their families never, ever feel guilty.
“They weren’t responsible for his death. But he is responsible for their lives and that’s a source of joy, not guilt.
The devastated mum, from Lochgelly, who also lost her partner, Michael Joyce, in the crash, remembered when Cole asked her to become a donor.
“When Cole was five I applied for a new kidney donor card and Cole wanted to know all about it. His godmother was born with a severed heart defect and went on the transplant list when she was 16.
“She’s now 38 and still needs a heart transplant, so Cole couldn’t understand why she couldn’t get the heart of someone who had died.
“They didn’t need it, and it would save her life, so why did the doctors not just take it?
“I explained that they needed permission and that’s why I carried an organ donor card, so that they’d know I was giving permission.
“It made complete sense to Cole. He begged for my old donor card.
“He even went about lecturing his friends and grandparents about letting others have your organs when you die.”
Baby
Cole said to his mother at the time: “If I’m a ghostie I won’t need anything anymore, but another wee boy or girl who isn’t dead might. Two people dying is silly.”
But his mum Hazel never thought that Cole would be putting his card to use just two years later.
“This magnificent gesture to donate organs was entirely typical of Cole- but we never thought it would come to pass.”
Cole was travelling with his mother and her partner to a family wedding last month when their car crashed on the A9 near Fort William.
Michael, 31, died on the scene while she and her son Cole were taken to Ninewells Hospital.
Doctors soon realised Cole would not survive his injuries and brought Hazel into his room so that she could be with him when he passed away.
Hazel, who is four months’ pregnant, said: “I wanted to take him in my arms, but he had so many tubes I could only stroke his little hand.”
She added: “If I wasn’t pregnant, I’d have nothing left to live for.
“Michael wasn’t the new baby’s father, we only got together three months ago. Cole was buried four hours after Michael’s cremation. I believe Michael was waiting for him.
“From my window I look on to Cole’s school and the graveyard is not far, so he’s nearby.
“And I know he’ll be delighted that we followed his wishes and gave four others the precious gift of life. I am so proud to be his mum.”
The pregnant mother added: “This will be his legacy.”
