God’s plan for my son Cameron’s life has always been in his timing.
While pregnant with Cameron, I went into labor three times before his due date. On November 16th, Cameron was born three weeks early. A week after bringing him home, he was hospitalized with critically high bilirubin levels. After being in the hospital for a week, I could finally bring my baby boy home and watch him grow into an extraordinary young man.
From a young age, Cameron was spontaneous, energetic, and sought adventure. His quest for adventure included a passion for fast toys, like snowmobiles, motocross bikes, and racing remote control cars. As you can imagine, I worried that my son would get hurt every time he was out doing the things he loved.
A Mother’s Worst Fear
On the evening of June 28, 2018, when Cameron was 22 years old, my worst fear became a reality when we received a call from the local sheriff.
Everything quickly unfolded before me when I arrived to the hospital that night. It was like a bad dream. My son was in a car accident, and he was brain dead. This was not what I imagined God’s plan for Cameron’s life to be. I pictured him getting married, having children, and being a successful construction manager.
Although I was experiencing unimaginable pain, a miracle was about to take place. Cameron was an organ donor. Even though we were losing our son, we found out that he would give life back to others.
As we sat in the hospital room with Cameron, the brightest rainbow we had ever seen filled the sky without a sign of rain. At that exact moment, we knew God’s plan for Cameron.
Giving Life to Others
God blessed Cameron with so many wonderful characteristics, but the greatest of them was his heart. I believe that God kept Cameron alive after his accident so that his heart could be donated. God knew that a heart like his still had way too much love to give. Cameron’s heart was filled with kindness, compassion, and love, making everyone around him feel appreciated.
I can proudly say that Cameron’s heart now beats inside the chest of Jeremy, a 34-year-old man from Iowa. I know Jeremy will continue blessing those around him because he has Cameron’s heart.
As days, weeks, months, and years continue to pass, one miracle after another has occurred through Cameron’s donations. His organs, corneas, and tissue donation have assisted over 124 people. His life continues to bless others, and our family has found peace knowing that he continues to live on; that God’s plan for Cameron is complete. By sharing Cameron’s story, I aim to spread hope and educate others on organ donation.
Crosses for Cameron
Crosses for Cameron brings awareness, support, and assistance to organ donors and recipients. One of our goals is to help others understand what it means to be a donor and how the gift of life changes the lives of not only the recipient but the donor’s and recipient’s families. We became LifeSource Ambassadors and speak all over the state sharing Cameron’s story and dispelling myths about organ donation.
To help our high school students gain a deeper understanding of the organ donation process, each year we sponsor scholarships for students who write an essay on organ, eye, and tissue donation. Part of the requirement is to interview a donor or recipient’s family to learn more about how organ donation has impacted their lives.
Garden of Healing & Rock Packets
During the pandemic in 2020, we researched how nature has very powerful healing elements for the human body, mind, and soul. We then worked with the Fargo Parks district to create the Garden of Healing, which provides a tranquil natural environment in which people can find a place to reduce their stress. The Garden of Healing is a place of comfort, hope, and healing.
With speaking engagements cancelled in 2020, we needed to find a way to spread the word about organ donation. To keep spreading the word, Crosses for Cameron created an organ donation rock packet campaign. To date, we have sent 22,000 rock packets across the globe. The main purpose of the rock packets is to promote organ, eye, and tissue donation, but we also learned about other unexpected positive impacts. Those who find a rock packet are moved by Cameron’s story and asked to do a random act of kindness for others.
Recently, a young lady who found a rock packet contacted us stating that the rock packet saved her life. She was having some severe mental health challenges and was considering self-harm when she found the rock packet. The information led her to CrossesForCameron.com where she read Cameron’s story, which gave her hope and led her to seek help.
It is our hope that one day no one will wait for that life-saving organ. Through education, we hope to change the world one rock at a time.
To learn more about Crosses for Cameron, visit CrossesforCameron.org. More information about the Garden of Healing is at GardenofHealingFargo.com, or you can visit the garden at Urban Plains Park in Fargo.
