An Organ Donor’s Body Helped Save The Life Of The Hearse Driver Transporting It

Declaring yourself as an organ donor is seen as a very noble act. Should the worst happen to you, at least parts of you can go on to save the life of another. However, that title may have taken on a new meaning after a report by CBS News Colorado revealed that the body of one organ donor managed to save the life of its hearse driver in a rather unexpected manner.

What Put This Hearse Driver’s Life in Danger?

It was originally reported on January 29th when intense snowfall caused the roads to be increasingly difficult to drive. Around 3 a.m., an employee for Hubbard and Son’s Mortuary was transporting a body in a hearse from Grand Junction, CO to another location to fulfill the unnamed body’s organ donation.

Along the way to the Eisenhower Tunnel, the driver told the Colorado State Patrol that a red Dodge Durango was speeding in his direction. To avoid colliding with the SUV, the hearse driver switched lanes. But due to the snowstorm, he lost control of his vehicle, causing him to barrel through a roadside barrier on I-70 which resulted in the hearse teetering over the edge of a cliff. Any further and the vehicle would have sent the driver down a fatal fall into the canyon.

How Did The Organ Donor Save This Hearse Driver’s Life?

According to the driver, he believes that the weight of the body being transported by the hearse acted as a counterweight, preventing him from plunging over the edge of the road. He believes that the organ donor saved his life.

“That’s a lucky mother*****r right there,” says one responding police officer while walking towards the suspended hearse. According to the dashcam footage, it appeared that exactly half of the vehicle was dangling over the edge, while the other half prevented it from dropping down below. In a manner that could have been determined by inches, pounds, and time, this situation could have had a much different outcome.

How Else Are Organ Donors Saving Lives?

On average, a single organ donor can save up to eight lives. But as for the organ donor in this story, it appears that they’ve managed to save one life already.

Currently, over 100,000 people in the U.S. are on a waiting list to receive an organ transplant. However, approximately slightly more than half of those on the list will receive one in the next five years. According to the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), only 60% of U.S. citizens have signed up to be an organ donor.