Honoring Tim

Tim Packhem touched—and saved—a lot of lives. It’s an impressive thing to say about anyone, but the fact that Tim could affect so many, in so short a time, is what makes him truly special. Those close to him affectionately knew him as “Tim-bo”—a friendly goofball who was quick with a joke or a hug. The kind of guy who walks up to you on your first day at a new school and invites you join him and his friends at the lunch table. At 16 years old, when Tim died from severe brain trauma after falling off a skateboard, the number of people who appreciated his carefree attitude became heartbreakingly clear. Almost his entire school came out to honor his memory at the wake. The line, stretching long and silent, snaked slowly past his casket with hundreds of people wanting to tell him goodbye, thank you, or both. Many of those who came to offer their condolences were unfamiliar to the family, but one thing the family immediately recognized was the impact Tim had made on so many lives. “I never hung out with him much, but I always thought Tim was one of the greatest guys in school.” “He was the funniest kid in class. Probably the only reason I ever looked forward to going to algebra.” “Tim was the best.” Just one month earlier, Tim had been studying for his learner’s permit. His Registry of Motor Vehicle instruction booklet taught him about organ donation, and at the dinner table one evening Tim told his mother, “If anything ever happens to me, I w...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: All posts Donate life how organ donation saves lives National Donate Life Month Pediatric Transplant Center (PTC) Source Type: news