(New York Times) – THE TELEPHONE CALL that interrupted Brendan’s death was about extending lives, though not his. Just as he had planned.

The caller was from LiveOnNY, the nonprofit organization federally designated to coordinate organ donations in the New York metropolitan area. When a patient who meets specific clinical criteria seems on the cusp of death at a donor hospital, the hospital is required to contact LiveOnNY, which then checks for the person’s name in the database of registered donors.

Years earlier, Brendan had registered while renewing his driver’s license. The caller, a family-support advocate for LiveOnNY, gently explained that this meant he could not be taken off the ventilator. At least not yet. (Read More)