
07/27/2025
Love you forever and a day, my Kay. ❤
In 1998, my wife K**a “Kay” Wilson tragically passed away in a car accident at just 35 years old. Kay had always told me she wanted to be an organ donor—and true to her word, she gave the gift of life to many others, just as she had always given of herself in life.
Kay was a long-time volunteer with the Ridgefield Park, NJ Heavy Rescue Squad—one of the heroes who cut people free from car wrecks. The accident that took her life happened right behind the squad building. It was her own friends, her fellow rescuers, who responded and worked to save her.
One of the people she saved was my best friend’s 12-year-old nephew. He received Kay’s kidney and went on to live a full, beautiful life.
Her legacy lives on in every person she helped. I received so many wonderful letters from recipients and their families. One person in need of a cornea transplant could finally see their children clearly. A man who was suffering from liver failure and was too ill to even go outside, could now play ball with his son.
What does donation mean to me? It’s a promise to help others—one my wife believed in, and one I continue to honor. It brought unexpected comfort to our family. In the darkest time of my life, those letters and stories helped me keep going.
To anyone reading this: PLEASE register to be an organ and tissue donor. You could save or improve someone’s life—and change the lives of their families forever. I’ve seen it from both sides, through my years in Fire, EMS, and Rescue. And I’ve lived it. When the moment comes, it won’t be easy—but I promise you, it will mean everything. God bless. 💙💚
— Chet Wilson, husband of organ and tissue donor Kay