Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY — Gabriel Saville was not quite 18 months when he suddenly stopped breathing.
"Gabie is dead," his older brother Isaac told their mother, Amy Saville on July 10, 2010.
The boys had been watching a movie together upstairs in their parents' bed. Amy went to her baby thinking he was probably just sleeping. When she got to her bedroom, she saw Gabriel lying on his stomach. His eyelids and lips were blue and he wasn't breathing.
After calling 911, Amy and her husband, David Saville, began administering CPR with help of an emergency dispatcher until the ambulance arrived.
Once at the hospital, the boy's heart was resuscitated, but he still couldn't breath on his own. A CT Scan revealed massive swelling in his brain and tests showed his brain stem was not functioning.
After 36 hours of waiting and testing, Gabriel was declared brain dead. On July 12, Amy held her baby one last time and doctors removed his life support.
Sean's Smokehouse BBQ & GRILL 222 East SR-73 Saratoga Springs Lehi Animal Hospital 380 East Main St. Suite A Lehi Tenney's Pizza 282 East SR-73 Saratoga Springs Tenney's Pizza 7832 South 700 East Sandy Johnson Tire Service 610 N. Main St. Springville Think Ink 575 East University Parkway Orem Think Ink 296 NW State St. American Fork Mail to:
Books from Gabriel c/o Amy Saville 2548 Delphinium Way Saratoga Springs, UT 84045
As Gabriel's Jan. 26 birthday approached, Amy's mother made a suggestion to honor her grandson's second birthday: A book drive.
Gabriel had loved books — the near-toddler even had a slew of favorite ones he would look at over and over — and Amy had wished throughout his hospital stay the pediatric unit had had books she could read to him.
"We really wanted to do something to give back to the hospitals, to make other people's stay easier when they are there for those same kind of things," Amy said.
They lived in Idaho at the time, so they gathered books for Idaho hospitals. In 2012, after a successful drive the year before and a move to Utah, they gathered more books, eventually donating 2,700 books to eight hospitals, including 1,500 to Primary Children's Hospital.
The Savilles collect book donations of new and like-new books for all ages of children throughout the year and donate them in honor of Gabriel's birthday each January.
Currently, people can drop off books at any of 14 locations until Jan. 14, or they can mail book donations at any time of the year. They also accept funds* to purchase books in the needed age categories.
---
*ksl.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does ksl.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
