Andrew Bedard

Type of Donation:       kidneys, liver, tissue, cornea

Age and Location:      Age 8 – South Bay, Morgan Hill, CA

Date of Donation:           07/08/2014

Sponsor:                      Honored by Donor Network West

ANDREW’S STORY

Andrew died because an aneurysm burst 27 days before his ninth birthday. He loved to play soccer, especially as a goalkeeper, and was a fan of the San Jose Earthquakes. He was interested in possibly becoming a veterinarian and could charm animals, even a feral cat that would let him pet her.

Months before he died, he was the oldest kid on his team because his birthday was just after the cutoff date. His team never won a game. After one game, his dad asked how he was feeling, and he replied, "I feel great! It doesn't matter what the score is. If you have a great attitude, you are a winner."  This was Andrew, a happy-go-lucky kid with tons of joy.

In 2004, Andrew was playing video games with his brother and had a headache. He told his brother that he was going to find Mom. He only got 10 feet away before he collapsed. The doctors did their very best but could not save him. But after 7+ hours in the OR, his family had already made the tough decision to donate his organs.

Karlina, his mom, and the family were able to meet Andrew's liver recipient, who had been on the waitlist for 7+ years. They later found out that he was on the list for so long because of his rare blood type (B-), which was less than 2% of the United States population. Andrew donated his kidneys, liver, and small bowel to other people.

Since 2008, one player for the San Jose Earthquakes has been honored with the Andrew Bedard Spirit of the Game Award, which recognizes his community work and best embodies Andrew's positive attitude both on and off the field.



A family's gift: The Bedards tell their inspiring story about the loss of Andrew Bedard (1995-2004) and how his organs have saved lives – The Saratoga Falcon