'What better way to show your love?' National Donor Day celebrates life and love
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - On Valentine's Day, we also celebrate the gift of a second chance.
February 14 is also National Donor Day to raise awareness about the critical need for organ donors.
On a positive note, we met the family of two local heroes, who dedicated not only their lives as firefighters but as donors, too.
Denise and Janet King never missed a Valentine's Day, they married brothers, Joey and Danny King.
"It was always a big day for our husbands, they always made sure I got flowers, she got candy, but they were into giving and had giving hearts," said Denise, the widow of firefighter Joey.
The two served others as lifelong firefighters and not surprisingly, served others at the time of their deaths.
The sisters, however, didn't know much about organ donation.
"Quite honestly, no, it wasn't until Danny passed and the people at CORE were so helpful going through the process with Janet and her children," Denise said.
"I knew that he was an organ donor, but I never knew all the processes and all the things that went through it," added Janet, the widow of Danny.
Danny died in 2014 from a freak accident while trying to help a neighbor.
"One Saturday morning, he was painting and doing his awning and for some reason, he just fell off the ladder," recalled Janet. "It was only a four-foot ladder but it was the way he hit his head."
Janet said her high school sweetheart saved four people with his decision to donate his organs.
Denise said that gesture inspired Joey to sign up right then and there continuing his legacy of always wanting to help others.
"He was committed to being president of the firefighters union and dedicated himself to that," she said. "[He] was very committed to the other firefighters in making sure that he improved their working conditions."
Two years ago, Joey died, also while helping others.
"He was out snow blowing the whole neighborhood," Denise said. "He was doing the whole street, and that's just what he did."
Denise watched in awe as her husband helped so many people.
"He was not the healthiest person so his organs could not be used, but the point of it is that you can give, even in small ways, it doesn't have to be the big organs," she said.
Joey donated his ligaments and tissue, helping countless Pittsburghers.
"I ended up receiving three letters from individuals who were able to get those ligaments, thanking me for the change that it had made in their lives and it was just so wonderful," Denise said. "Even something small like that, so you think maybe you can't give because of your medical condition, but you can."
She also said that the donation process also helps with the grieving process because it makes her feel proud and that a part of them is still continuing.
So, it's no coincidence that National Donor Day is also Valentine's Day.
Which has the two sisters asking one simple question - what better way to show your love?
