As a proud Florida Gator (Class of 1972) who served as editor-in-chief of The Alligator from 1971-72, I have a lifetime debt of gratitude to UF, the College of Journalism & Communications and especially to The Independent Florida Alligator.
This column seeks to correct some regrettable errors woven into a recent, well-intentioned but misguided opinion piece about organ donation. That recent opinion column encouraged readers to avoid registering as organ donors.
My daughter, Aimee Nicole Sachs, was a Gator grad, journalism major and former Alligator staffer. She was sharp, brave, loving and determined to make a difference. At 38, in May of 2023, Aimee suffered a massive stroke that plunged her into "locked-in syndrome." She was fully conscious but would be unable to speak, move or breathe on her own ever again. She could think and feel emotion, but was able to communicate only by blinking her eyes.
I stood at her bedside to explain what had tragically happened. Our family wanted to give her the opportunity to decide if she wanted to spend the rest of her life trapped in a non-functioning body. When answering two questions, closing her eyes was a “Yes” for each of them. Aimee chose to remove artificial life support so that she could move on. She also said “Yes” to honoring her driver’s license lifetime status since she was 16 — to be an organ donor.
Aimee kept that commitment even though she always had the right to change it. No confusion, no conflict, no doubt. Confronted with the reality of her condition, Aimee made the brave choice to help other people extend their own lives through her selfless gift.
Aimee’s choice saved three lives. One of them is Kris Vanni, who received Aimee’s liver. A young mother of two, Kris was very near death when the call came that Aimee’s liver was a healthy match. Nearly three years have already been added to Kris’ life path — for holidays, birthdays and hundreds of days of family togetherness.
In my heart, Kris has become my adopted daughter and serves as a sister to my other two daughters. Getting to know Kris and her family has been the single biggest factor in helping our own family heal from the loss of Aimee.
The original column raised some specific concerns, and the author’s instinct to protect herself and her readers comes from an admirable place. However, the organ donation process is strictly regulated by federal, state and medical standards. The column could discourage young adults from an informed personal decision that could save lives.
In Florida, a patient’s medical team has one job: to save that patient’s life. Donation isn’t considered until all life-sustaining efforts have been exhausted. Under state law, two physicians or their designees — who play no role in the donation or transplant process — must independently confirm and document a patient's terminal condition before life-sustaining treatment can be withdrawn. Organ procurement organizations play no role whatsoever in declaring death.
The column also suggests a living will or health care surrogate is a safer alternative to donor registration. The truth is, they work best alongside registration, not in place of it. What all these options share is an essential foundation: a conversation with your family while you're healthy, so they never have to guess in a moment of grief.
Today, more than 6,000 Floridians are waiting for a life-saving organ donation. Every 10 minutes, someone is added to the national waiting list. Each day, 22 people die because the organs they needed never came. Behind every number is a loved one running out of time.
Aimee Sachs lived her values, soaked up every minute of life and made her brave choice to save others.
Deciding to register as an organ donor is a simple personal choice. I encourage everyone to learn more and make an informed decision — for yourself. Learn more at DonateLifeFlorida.org.
Florida native Ron Sachs is the Founder/Chairman Emeritus of Sachs Media, a nationally respected integrated marketing and communications company headquartered in Tallahassee. He may be reached at ron@sachsmedia.com.
