2016 Yadira Ramirez

Yadira Ramirez_OneLegacyYADIRA RAMIREZ

Tissue and Cornea Donor

Age 26 ~ Huntington Park, CA

Donated on 06/06/2009

at USC Medical Center

Honored by onelegacy.org

Yadira was born in Los Angeles, California on March 8, 1983 and was raised in Huntington Park, California. She earned her Bachelor’s in Psychology degree at University of California, San Diego and was planning to return to school to receive a graduate degree in social work.  Her passion was to advocate for children especially those from abused homes. Yadira loved to travel.  She studied abroad in countries such as France, Spain and Italy.  The month before her death she had traveled to Costa Rica and was planning a trip to Russia.  From a young age, Yadira was fearless.  She loved roller coasters and extreme sports, such as, bungee jumping.  On June 6, 2009, Yadira was in a tragic car accident and lost her life at the age of 26. When her family received the call from OneLegacy asking about tissue donation, Yadira’s mother, Graciela Ramirez, gladly honored Yadira’s wishes to be a donor.

Yadira’s Story

Yadira was born in Los Angeles, California on March 8, 1983 and was raised in Huntington Park, California. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at University of California, San Diego and was planning to return to school to receive a graduate degree in social work.  Her passion was to advocate for children especially those from abused homes.  Yadira loved to travel.  She studied abroad in countries such as France, Spain and Italy.  The month before her death she had traveled to Costa Rica and was planning a trip to Russia.  From a young age, Yadira was fearless.  She loved roller coasters and extreme sports, such as, bungee jumping.

On June 6, 2009, Yadira was in a tragic car accident and lost her life at the age of 26. When her family received the call from OneLegacy asking about tissue donation, Yadira’s mother, Graciela Ramirez, gladly honored Yadira’s wishes to be a donor.  Graciela says, “Since she was about 11 years old, Yadira told us she wanted to be a donor just like us. She thought something good may come from something bad.  She was a friendly, loving and caring daughter, sister and friend.”

For Graciela and her family, being a donor family has been an extraordinary experience. Due to Yadira’s donation and seeing how many lives it can help, this has encouraged their family members to register as donors. Yadira’s sister has shared their story with co-workers and close friends and it has really opened their minds and inspired some of them to register as well.

Yadira’s decision has also inspired Graciela to become a Donate Life “Embajador”.   Through sharing Yadira’s story at the Mexico and El Salvador consulates, health fairs and other community events, Graciela is able to bring awareness about organ, eye and tissue donation to the Hispanic community.  She shares that Yadira was able to improve the quality of life of many people ranging in age from 35-72 across the United States through her skin and tissue donation.

Graciela says, “Every family I have met through Donate Life has brought me comfort in knowing that we all struggle together with our losses, and together, have found a way to honor the legacy of our loved ones.  This is the journey that donation has created from me and my family.”