17 year-old Samantha Joos, 10 days before her accident*
In this first article in my ongoing series honoring the lives of organ and tissue donors, I feel privileged to introduce to you Samantha Nichole Joos of St. Charles, Illinois. This beautiful young lady, whose nickname was "Sunshine", loved playing tennis on her high school team and singing in the school choir. She was very involved with her friends and in school, and she was adored by her family - her father: Tim, mother: Deb, older brother: Jason, and older sister: Jennifer. Sam, as she was known by family and friends, earned all A's and B's, worked at a local pizzeria, and enjoyed traveling with her father on the weekends to car races at the Windy City Miata Club. Tim had taught his youngest daughter to drive the family's two Miatas, and it instantly became a favorite hobby for the high school senior.
On the morning of November 4, 2003, Sam was killed in an auto accident during a heavy rainstorm on her way to school. Going 10 miles under the speed limit, she lost control of her 1988 Audi, spun into oncoming traffic, and was hit head-on by a semi trailer truck. She was pronounced dead upon arrival at Delnor-Community hospital in Geneva. As she had previously discussed her wish to be an organ and tissue donor with her father, the Joos family did not have to struggle with the decision to donate. On that day of tragedy, Sam was able to fulfill her wish by donating heart valves, spine, bone, and other tissue.
Sam's donation is a testament to what a kind and generous person she was, always wanting to help others. Though she had not decided which college she wanted to attend, she had chosen to major in social work. Sam wanted to be a counselor, helping children and teens. Now, over five years later, Sam's parents are honoring the work she dreamed of doing. by volunteering for two important organizations. Each year, Tim and Deb organize "Sam's Poker Rally" to raise money for the Kane County Child Advocacy Center. The couple also volunteers for Gift of Hope, the federally designated not-for-profit agency that coordinates organ and tissue donation and supports families of donors in the northern three-quarters of Illinois and northwest Indiana. Sam's parents frequently speak on behalf of this organization to talk about their daughter and how important organ and tissue donation was to her. Knowing how much Sam's tissue has given to others helps them to bear their loss and to feel closer to their beloved daughter, by working on behalf of a cause that meant so much to her.
Stay tuned for an interview with Sam's father, Tim Joos.
*photos - courtesy of Tim Joos
If you know someone who has helped others by donating their organs or tissue, and you would like to honor his or her life through a featured article, please contact me at organandtissuedonor@gmail.com
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