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BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee family's tragedy has given an Illinois toddler a chance at life.
WKRN-TV (http://bit.ly/1OM0SOP) reports that 2-year-old William Heard of Brentwood died in December after choking on food. His parents, Jamie and Daniel Heard, made the decision to donate his organs.
Their son's heart went to save the life of a toddler more than 400 miles away in Chicago. Eighteen-month-old Ava Martin was diagnosed in August with heart failure. The transplant last month was successful, and Ava has been released from the hospital, though she continues to get follow-up care.
Amie Martin told WKRN that she is thankful her daughter now has a chance to live.
The Heards told the station that saving another child's life was "a bright light in the midst of our darkest time."
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Information from: WKRN-TV, http://www.wkrn.com/
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