Amanda Philpott loved animals, bell bottoms, and her nephew Dayton, whom she carried around like a football. She loved to give and was vocal about her deep faith. On November 24, 1996, Amanda and her family went to church in two cars. She and her sister were in an auto accident. Amanda suffered a brain injury and was declared dead three days later. She was 16. Her mother Cheryl Manley remembered a prayer request at church for someone who needed a heart. Although told that it was likely impossible, the donation became a reality. Amanda's gifts saved the lives of two people, one of them a friend.

Amanda's Story

Amanda Philpott loved animals, especially a chinchilla she named Sylvester.  She was known for being honest with people and for her deep faith - she said what she thought. She loved bell bottoms before they came back in style, and loved carrying her nephew Dayton around like a football. At 16, she enjoyed drama and had been selected for a school play.

Amanda was vocal about her faith and was very active in her church youth group. She loved to give. When she lost a friend, she helped another friend walk through that grief.

On Sunday, November 24, 1996, Amanda's family went to church in two cars. On the way home, Amanda and her sister were in an auto accident. Amanda had suffered a brain injury; she died three days later.

"At that time, we were asked to consider organ and tissue donation," said her mother, Cheryl Manley. "I remembered a prayer request at church for someone who needed a heart and inquired about giving Amanda's heart to her, but was told it was likely impossible.

"Tuesday morning, we were told there was no hope. We had already consented to organ and tissue donation, and requested that Amanda be left as she was until her sister, Alisa, could say goodbye to her. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do - telling my other children that Amanda was gone."

On Wednesday, before going to the funeral home, Cheryl received a call from one of Amanda's friends. She said that the woman for whom they had been praying had just received a heart transplant and asked if Amanda's family had donated her organs. The pastor met them at the funeral home with the same news. "Of course, this was not a coincidence," Cheryl said. "She had indeed received Amanda's heart."

Cheryl summed up that "We have never regretted the decision to donate Amanda's organs and tissue. It was what she would have wanted. Amanda always enjoyed helping people. Her gifts saved the lives of at least two people, one being our friend. Through that, I inherited another family."