Phoenix boy’s Organ Donation Will Save More Than 300 Lives After Fatal Aneurysm
November 10, 2025 — by Transplant News
USA: Twelve-year-old Dylan Scalina collapsed after trick-or-treating on Halloween night when a ruptured brain aneurysm left him critically ill. Despite intensive medical efforts, his family was told that further treatment could not restore his recovery. Honoring Dylan’s own support for donation, his family consented to organ and tissue donation at Phoenix children’s Hospital, turning a private tragedy into a decision with far-reaching consequences.
The family’s choice will directly enable transplants and other lifesaving therapies for an exceptionally large group of recipients, with organizers saying more than 300 people will benefit. Among the organs being offered is Dylan’s heart, a gift that relatives described as carrying a vital part of his character to whoever receives it. Phoenix children’s Hospital has scheduled an honor walk the following morning to mark his passing and to acknowledge the donors and clinical teams.
Statewide figures provided in the same coverage place Dylan’s donation in a broader context of growing generosity in Arizona. In 2024 the state reached a record number of lives saved through organ donation, approaching 900 people helped by donors. Officials also noted that more than 210,000 residents are now registered as organ and tissue donors in Arizona, underscoring an expanded pool of potential transplant resources for patients in need.
As the community prepares to gather and remember Dylan, the transplant itself stands at the center of this story — a medical intervention and a social act that will alter the trajectories of hundreds. The hospital’s tribute and the family’s decision highlight both the individual loss and the tangible, immediate benefits that donation and transplantation deliver to patients across the region.
