{"id":47,"date":"2024-12-17T17:26:43","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T17:26:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.donornetworkwest.org\/es\/?page_id=47"},"modified":"2024-12-17T17:26:43","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T17:26:43","slug":"bay-area-mother-regrets-not-donating-her-teenage-sons-organs-four-decades-ago","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.donornetworkwest.org\/es\/historias\/bay-area-mother-regrets-not-donating-her-teenage-sons-organs-four-decades-ago\/","title":{"rendered":"Bay Area Mother Regrets Not Donating Her Teenage Son\u2019s Organs Four Decades Ago"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arlinda Timmons-Love of Richmond, Calif. tragically lost her 15-year-old son, Maurice, nearly 40 years ago.<\/p>\n

Maurice Lavelle Godfrey was Arlinda\u2019s first born. The star athlete was riding on a scooter when an unknown gunman shot him in the head. Maurice was later declared brain dead; his healthy organs made him a viable candidate for organ donation. When presented with the choice to donate her son\u2019s organs, Arlinda chose not to do so. She has since regretted that decision.<\/p>\n

\"woman\u00a0 \u00a0 \"photograph<\/p>\n

\u201cI did not want to accept that he was dead. They explained brain death to me but I didn\u2019t quite understand it and didn\u2019t want to let go. I felt insulted when organ donation was brought up; it was like a slap in the face. Looking back, I wish I would have said yes,\u201d explains Arlinda.<\/p>\n

Although organ donation did not occur in the case of her son, Arlinda is now an advocate for donation in her surrounding community. She shares her story as a way to inspire others to register as organ and tissue donors so their families do not have to make that decision for them.<\/p>\n