Mother hopes organ donation story inspires others in the Latino community

WINCHESTER, Ky. (WTVQ) —  April is National Donate Life month and every 8 minutes a person is added into the transplant waiting list.
Just last year, over 46,000 transplants were performed.

As the legacy of Kyle Landwehr continues to live on through his acts of kindness not just with people but also through his love for animals, his family, remembering the kind of person he was.

“He loved to help people,” says Jessica Landwehr, Kyle’s mom.

She remembers a time when her son asked her for money, only for him to help someone else. It was a day Kyle showed Jessica just how big his heart was.

“Mom, I don’t know if that man is going to eat, I know I am going to eat because of the family I have, I know I will never need anything else,” added Landwehr.

Kyle was just 16 when he became an organ donor, on the day he received his drivers license.
Kyle was inspired by his older brother Kevin who became an organ donor, because he saw a close friend go through the struggle of being on the transplant list with limited donors.
A struggle Kyle would also witness with one of his friends as well.

“When my sons told me they were going to be donors, I immediately was like wait a minute, what are you talking about, nothing is going to happen to you,” also said Landwehr.

It was a conversation that was very brief to his parents Jessica and Brian and one that brought questions.
But Jessica, his mom knew Kyle had always been a giver and one who cared more about others than himself.
On August 9th of 2019, Kyle died in an accident, but his death was not in vain, helping save lives through organ donation.

Jessica hopes the legacy of her son inspires others to become organ donors.
Especially those in the hispanic and latino community.

“I have many contacts in the latin community, and I know a few people who need an organ donation and are on the waiting list, but because there’s hardly any organ donors who are latinos, there are issues with matches,” she says.

She says there are many myths that need to be debunked regarding organ donations.
And hopes that having some understanding will motivate others to also be donors as well, like her son.

“Even though my son had said he wanted to be an organ donor, ultimately my husband, and my son and I ultimately made the decision if yes or no,” she added.

Jessica adds that her family will continue to miss Kyle every year until the end.
Adding that it becomes even harder around his birthday.
Ultimately Kyle donated his heart, his lungs, his liver, his kidneys and his pancreas, saving multiple lives.