Teen's donated organs help others live

It is especially heart-wrenching to read about young people who die from illness or a traumatic accident.

The family and friends of Dominic "Dom" Hooper recently mourned the loss of a son, schoolmate and friend.

Hooper, 17, died in an ATV accident in late February. He was a high school student at Scott City, active with school clubs and the Scott City basketball, baseball and football teams.

Our hearts go out to the Hooper family and Dominic's friends. We pray for comfort during this difficult time. If there's a bright spot in this tragic story, it's that several individual are living because his organs were donated.

A story appeared in Thursday's Southeast Missourian about Hooper's organs having been donated to five people. One man receive his heart. Another his left kidney and pancreas. A right kidney was donated to a 40-year-old, and a man of 43 received both lungs. Maybe the most touching: Dominic's liver was donated to a 7-year-old child, something his uncle and godfather Allen Collier said would make him happy.

"I think what really helped us through all of this was the fact that his liver went to a 7 year old," Collier said. "We know he would've done that in a heartbeat for some child."

A fundraiser will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Chick-fil-A in Cape Girardeau. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the Dominic M. Hooper Scholarship Fund. We encourage you to consider your support of the cause.

Organ donation is not something we often think about. But it's worth considering. It's inspiring to see the Hooper family handle this very sad situation with class and grace. They know their son's organs are helping others live. While they will mourn the loss of a son, it's reassuring to know his life is helping others keep theirs.