Taylor was a bright, beautiful, 21 year old girl whose smile would light up the room. She was our only daughter and only sibling to her brother, Talon. She loved music, loved to dance, and watching "Harry Potter" movies with her brother. She was just beginning her final year at UMSL University working toward a bachelors degree in nursing when she passed away from an auto accident.
Taylor's favorite motto was "pura vida" which when translated means "pure life". It is a Costa Rican motto and lifestyle. As her high school Spanish teacher so eloquently described it, it is an eternally optimistic mindset full of compassion and gratitude. It is an understanding that no matter how bad your situation may be, someone, somewhere, has it worse. It is a laid back attitude that conveys the idea that all of this is life, let go, be grateful for everything, and flow with it because life is too short. Taylor not only embodied this idea, she had it put on her license plates, and even had it tattooed on her ankle. She felt it could be applied to everyone from every walk of life.
Taylor was one of the kindest, most genuine people you'd ever meet which is evident with her selfless decision to become an organ donor. She was able to save lives by donating her kidneys and liver and also forever improve the lives of several others, even giving the gift of sight, by donating bone, heart valves, and eye tissue. Please sign up to become an organ donor, if you haven't already. There are no words to express how proud we are of Taylor and the legacy she has left behind. Knowing that she lives on and has given other families hope for a brighter future, gives us comfort and makes us so proud and thankful we were chosen to be her parents. What an incredible gift she was.
