Young Mother’s Organ Donation Saves 77 Lives After Lakewood Crash
USA: A 32-year-old woman who died after a car crash near 6th and Kipling in Lakewood has become the source of a massive lifesaving effort through organ and tissue donation, her family says. The woman, identified as Selah Hernandez, was a registered donor; her mother, Tina, and other relatives gathered to remember her and to explain how the decision has rippled outward to dozens of people who now live because of her. The family has framed the tragedy around the gift of continued life for others.
According to relatives, medical teams maintained Hernandez on life support so donation could proceed, and the family described the waiting and farewell that unfolded over roughly a day. Her husband and three children survive her, and the household is now coping with the immediate practical and emotional aftermath. The family has launched a crowdfunding page to offset funeral expenses and to support the loved ones she leaves behind.
Hospital and transplant coordinators proceeded with recovery of organs and tissues; in total, 77 individuals have had their lives affected through transplantation or tissue donation tied to her case. Family members emphasized that Hernandez had long been signed up as a donor, and they find meaning in the scale of the outcome, noting the number 77 as a poignant measure of her legacy. Medical personnel and the family described the contributions as life-altering for recipients, who range across different needs that organ and tissue transplantation address.
Law enforcement developments continued late into the night as Lakewood police announced the arrest of a 20-year-old driver who is suspected to have been at fault in the collision. The family has asked that the focus remain on the positive impact of the donation as they grieve, honor their daughter’s choice, and try to move forward while her donation sustains scores of other lives.
