“Even in her passing, we want to help her continue her legacy of loving people and making a difference in lives around the world,” the teen’s father said.
Family and friends of a Tennessee teen gathered over the weekend to honor her as she was taken off life support and became an organ donor.
Aleya Brooks was helping clear debris from her family’s driveway caused by a severe storm on Friday when a tree fell on her, leaving her in critical condition, her father, Jason Brooks, said in a Facebook post.
Neighbor Larry Mccann helped the family get the injured teen to the hospital while navigating “fallen trees, down power lines while [our] daughter was bleeding profusely,” said Jason.
Aleya was stable but in critical condition with multiple facial and head fractures, bleeding in her brain, and was in a trauma-induced coma, according to Jason.
“The neurosurgeon could only say ‘I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. This is a horrific injury…,’” Jason said.
The father then announced that they were going to take Aleya off life support on Sunday and that she would be an organ donor.
“She will be taken off mechanical support,” said Jason. “We know that Aleya, even in her passing, would want to have a positive impact on others' lives. So, she will be an organ donor, and we will have an honor march for her heroic sacrifice.”
The Brooks family started a GoFundMe in honor of Aleya. Donations will be given to a local church Aleya attended and an organization that focused on the advancement of care and research for neurological brain disorders, since Aleya aspired to become a neuropsychologist.
“Even in her passing, we want to help her continue her legacy of loving people and making a difference in lives around the world…all while loving Jesus with all her heart and being a light to the world,” said the fundraising page.
