'My mother gave others a second life'

The first symptoms

'Four weeks before she died, she got a severe headache and had to vomit often. That kept lasting for a few days. Visits to the general practitioner and treatments by a physiotherapist didn't help. On the fatal day, she lost consciousness in the morning. My father called 112, but when the ambulance arrived, she was completely clear-headed again. She did make an appointment with the general practitioner, who came for a home visit in the afternoon. Because dad had to go to work, I relieved him.'

In the six minutes that Michelle went to the pharmacy, her mother lost consciousness again. 'When I called 112, I was instructed to resuscitate her. I was able to do that thanks to my company emergency response training. You switch a button and you just do it.'

In the hospital

In the hospital, a scan showed that her mother had suffered a brain hemorrhage. 'For a moment we thought permanent brain damage would be the worst-case scenario, but shortly after, the neurologist told us that there was no brain activity left and that mom would probably pass away soon. I had been talking to her just two hours earlier! We were all in shock.'

A caring person

'I miss our mom very much. We no longer watch Formula 1 together on Sundays, which she found so cozy. And I miss her in the stands at home basketball games. When it was my turn, she would also always wash our team's uniforms, so sweet. She was caring, in a subtle way. From what her manager said during the cremation, we understood that she was exactly the same at work as she was at home.'

Not registered as a donor

'She wasn't registered as a donor, but had talked about it with dad, also because he is a heart patient. Back then, they had both said they wanted to donate everything. That's why we were all immediately behind it when that question came up. It completely suited her.' Her lungs, kidneys, and liver were successfully transplanted. 'We are super happy that she was able to give those people a second life. Something positive amidst everything that was so terrible.'

Farewell

The family said goodbye with the dog at the foot of the bed. Days before her death, Michelle's parents had booked a holiday to Italy. The family still made that trip and scattered her ashes by the sea, right at the moment it started to rain. 'As if she was there.'

Day of remembrance

Michelle prefers to call the anniversary of her death a day of remembrance. Together with her father and sister, she cherishes beautiful moments. The day after, the day of the transplants, also feels special. 'I sometimes wonder how these people are doing. Whether mom still lives on in other people. It sounds crazy, but for us, it is still a comforting thought.'

How things are now

'How are you?' A question I often get and which I always find difficult to give a straightforward answer to. At any rate, things are going better than two years ago. And that in itself is a step to be proud of.'