The death and loss of a child is the ultimate tragedy. Nothing can be more devastating. It feels unnatural to outlive a child.

This grief over the loss of a child comes with feelings of injustice – the understandable feeling that this loss never should have happened. 

Coping with the death and loss of a child requires some of the hardest work one will ever have to do. You may feel like you are going crazy, but you are not.

Be kind to yourself. Be patient. Get enough rest and make sure you are eating. Take care of yourself.

For some children a young donor is their only hope. The shortage of suitable donors means children waiting for an urgent transplant will wait two and half times as long as adults waiting on the urgent waiting list.

Children die on the transplant waiting list.

14-year-old Da’Quan Nichols-Cox from Milwaukee was a smart, talented and loving kid who liked football, basketball and his English and Math classes. He is also a hero, according to his little brother.

On Nov. 21, 2015, Da’Quan died at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin from injuries sustained in a car accident.

His mother, Inica, was faced with a question she never thought she would be asked: ‘Do you want to donate your child’s organs?’

Overwhelmed with emotion, Inica sought input from her then 6-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter. They had no hesitation.

‘If Da’Quan’s going to help other kids, then he would be a hero,’ – Little Brother.

That selfless decision made set into motion a series of events that has never before been seen at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin: the organs were determined to be a match with five patients at the hospital.

Those children and their families had waited a collective 544 days on heart, kidney and liver transplant lists.

In just one day, they received the news that would forever change their lives.