Fred Salas (upper left) told the story of his young son Jack (upper right; photo credit, Live Like Jack Foundation) and the importance of organ donation
On February 1, 2018, Jack Salas, only 10 years-old, suffered a severe asthma attack. Fred Salas, the speaker for our June 8, 2023 meeting, told about the farewell he and his wife said to their beloved son, and the decisions they made in the two days after the attack that would ultimately impact the lives of five other people. Fred and Jessica decided to donate several of Jack’s organs. A teenage girl received his liver. Both his kidneys went to fathers, and his heart valves helped two young girls.
In 2019 Fred and Jessica founded the Live Like Jack Foundation to raise awareness of the importance of organ donation. They want to dispel myths about organ donation, especially that no one is too old to be a donor, and that there is no cost burden to organ donation.
Becoming a donor is simple and urgently needed: over 114,000 people are waiting for an organ. If you aren’t already a donor, sign up at One Legacy, Southern California’s Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), which is part of a nationwide network of OPOs. If you’re renewing your driver’s license, be sure to check “Yes” that you’re willing to become an organ donor. Also, be sure to let your loved ones know that you are an organ donor.