12-04-2025
Candlelight ceremony in Columbus honors organ donors and those awaiting transplants
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Hundreds gathered outside the Lifeline of Ohio donor memorial for a candlelight ceremony honoring organ donors and those awaiting a transplant in Columbus.
The decision to be an organ donor has the power to turn a tragic situation into a positive one. The candles that were lit represent the second chance at life offered by organ donation.
According to Lifeline of Ohio, nearly one thousand central Ohioans are waiting for organ transplants. Seventeen times a day, a man, woman, or child dies for lack of an available organ. A pain that Kelli McQuesten and her family know all too well.
'My husband was a fireman, and one morning, just woke up and was having some heart issues, and we learned that he had to have a heart surgery,' said Kelli McQuesten.
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Her husband, Matthew, died in December 2023. She's been the community outreach coordinator at Lifeline of Ohio for 10 years now. Her job is to educate communities about organ donation. Never did she think she'd have a personal story to share.
'I owe it to Matthew to keep talking about his story and to say his name, and I just think about all of the families of the people who are waiting and that I don't want them to go through what me and my kids went through,' said McQuesten.
Lifeline of Ohio says the ripple effect of one person saying 'yes' to donation is powerful. It's a decision that's felt by recipients, family members, and friends.
'I received a liver transplant back in 2020, on March 12th,' said Tyler Parker.
Tyler Parker is 17 years old, and he was born with a rare genetic disorder. Five years ago, his life changed. He received 'the call' that he and his family have been waiting for, allowing him to be a normal teenager and follow his dreams.
'I love Columbus Fire, and I want to be a firefighter/paramedic when I get a little older,' he said.
Jermayne Hassis has been on the National Transplant waiting list for eight years. He currently has a device implanted in his chest to keep his heart beating. While that provides some challenges for him, he remains positive.
'I try to live as more and more of a lifestyle as I possibly can. I was able to get married, have a beautiful daughter, and I'm a schoolteacher, like, you know, all of the things that I love doing,' he said.
Harris says going through this process has taught him a lot.
'There's always light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm just, you know, God has been very big in my journey,' said Harris.
A single donor has the potential to save eight lives through organ donation. To learn more, click here.
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