More than 14-hundred Mississippians are currently waiting for an organ transplant. Three of them are no longer waiting, thanks to the generosity of one family.
Catherine Lighter: "Y'all are part of my family. And as hard as I love my children - I work hard, hard every day for them - y'all got us now. And we are family."
Catherine Lighter of Jackson embraced three Mississippians whose lives were saved thanks to the donated organs of her son, Jamison White, who died in a car accident 8 months ago. Lighter says the decision to donate her son's organs was not an easy one.
"I didn't want to give it up, because I wanted him to be just like he was when he was born. So as his daddy talked to me, I said 'come on.' Looks like God was telling me to come on. I let everybody receive, and they got blessed," said Lighter.
Nelson Davis is the father of Paul Davis, who received a kidney and pancreas. He says Lighter's decision is a selfless act of kindness.
"I say thank you for having the heart to love people the way you do, because it shows. And I just say thank you for it," Nelson Davis told Lighter.
Only ten percent of organ donors are African-American - which Jamison White was. But blacks make up nearly 30 percent of total transplant waiting lists.
Chuck Stinson is with the Mississippi Organ Recovery Agency. He says there are strong reasons why Mississippians of any race should consider becoming organ donors.
"Mainly because there are 1,400 Mississippians right now in need of a life-saving transplant, and over 124,000 Americans - an average of 18 of those will die each day waiting for a transplant that never comes. A new person goes on the list every 10 minutes," said Stinson.
Lighter says she wants more people to become organ donors. But still, she misses her son.
"He was a perfect young man to me, and I miss my son. You just don't know. I cry every night for him," said Lighter.
