The late captain’s organs helped save four lives. NBC 7’s Mark Mullen has the story.
A local organ donation group, Lifesharing, honored a San Diego Fire-Rescue captain who saved lives even after he passed.
Captain Robin Cervantes died in an off-duty accident in September of 2019.
The 54-year-old father of seven daughters had encouraged his family to be organ donors.
“He really believed in education and science and advancing the medical industry,” Cervantes' daughter Monique Pascucci said. “He thought this is an easy way to do it.”
Pascucci said her dad was a registered donor for years.
Every year, Lifesharing hosts a special ceremony to honor recent organ and tissue donors. It was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but family, friends and fellow firefighters were able to partake in an honor walk.
Pascucci said going through the organ donation process was the hardest thing she has ever done, along with dealing with her father’s death.
Local
But, she said she knew it was the right decision.
“He is gone and not physically with us, but he was able to physically give something to someone else,” Pascucci said. “And, those people are around, even if it was for one more day, they are still here because my dad was able to give them that gift. And that is really special to me.”
Cervantes was able to save four lives as an organ donor. He was also UC San Diego Health’s first Honor Walk.
“He liked being a hero, that’s what he wanted to do,” Pascucci said. “I thought this just made sense for us to send him off. This felt right and it gave my family hope.”
Click here to learn more about becoming an organ donor.
