'She's my little hero': Utah mom reflects on daughter's organ donation legacy

HYRUM, Cache County — Whitney Hale said her daughter, Tayzli, was energetic, loving and obsessed with everything pink.

"She was the most perfect little girl. She was her brothers' biggest cheerleader," she said.

Hale said she loved animals and had a special connection with them.

But one day after preschool, everything changed.

"She went for a ride just like she always did," Hale recalled. "She ended up falling off her horse, and she hit her head and received a traumatic brain injury."

Three-year-old Tayzli was airlifted to Primary Children's Hospital, where doctors worked urgently to save her life.

"They did everything that they could for her," Hale said. "We got to snuggle in bed with her and spend those precious last moments with her."

When it became clear there were no more medical options, Hale and her family were faced with an unimaginable decision — whether to donate their daughter's organs.

"I never thought I'd have to consider that for one of my children," she said.

In the middle of their grief, the family chose to say yes.

"If we could wake her up and say, 'Hey, is this what you want?' We knew without a doubt she would say yes," Hale said.

That decision meant Tayzli could give the gift of life to others. She was able to donate her heart, liver and both kidneys.

"You can change a lot of lives with one donor," said Dr. Sharon Chen, the medical director of the pediatric heart transplant program at Primary Children's Hospital.

In some cases, a single donor can save up to eight lives through organ transplantation.

"Every transplant begins with a very generous gift — organ donation," Chen said. "I think the more we talk about it, the more awareness there will be."

For families who face that decision, conversations about organ donation can help turn grief into legacy.

Hale said she has since formed a close bond with her daughter's heart recipient.

"His name is Dylan, and he calls me his heart mom," she said.

While the loss of her daughter is something she carries every day, Hale said organ donation has given her a sense of purpose.

"As hard as it is to see my little girl go, that gives me a lot of hope," she said. "She's changing families and generations to come. She's my little hero."

How to register

In Utah, you can register as an organ donor when applying for or renewing your driver's license. You can also sign up online at yesutah.org. Anyone can sign up to be a donor, regardless of age or medical history, though eligibility is determined at the time of donation. One organ donor can save up to eight lives and help many more through tissue donation.

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