"Steve's Eyes Are Seeing Countries We'll Never Set Foot In"
Steven G. Carson, 2/22/1952 – 10/24/2011
Steve had the most exhilarating smile. “Steve’s smile shot right through his eyes,” was what a friend wrote of him in his memorial book. Steve died very unexpectedly on a Monday afternoon in October 2011, a massive heart attack. He was only 59. Surrounded by his entire family and many friends, Steve passed peacefully that afternoon. I hadn’t even thought of donation until the ICU nurse approached me, even though I am a registered donor. Of course I agreed. The next morning is a blur, but I do remember the most compassionate, caring and professional coordinator calling from MTS, explaining the process, asking very personal and painful questions, but all for the cause.
Six months later, my daughter and I found ourselves at our first MTS donor family program: the Donor Family Open House and Memory Scrapbook in St. Louis. We met the wonderful MTS staff, other donor families experiencing the very same feelings and going through the same journey as we were. That night we found out that those eyes “whose smiles shot right out of” gave the gift of sight in two separate countries overseas. As a tribute, my daughter and I tattooed the mapping coordinates of the countries on our feet, noting that “Steve’s eyes are seeing countries that we will probably never set foot in” … We are looking forward to our first Candlelight Memorial Ceremony.
Respectfully,
Kim Carson, Donor Family (Wife)
