Week in Review : MAJOR EVENTS, IMAGES AND PEOPLE I ORANGE COUNTY NEWS. : MISCELLANY/ NEWSMAKERS AND MILESTONES
Medical technology gave a grieving Fullerton family a glimpse of hope last week after their daughter was fatally injured in a hit-run accident.
On June 8, Allison McClennen, 2, was rushed to UCI Medical Center in Orange with injuries from a hit-and-run accident in front of her home. Almost 10 days later, last Tuesday, doctors declared the girl’s brain dead and disconnected life-support systems. Later that day, parents William and Kathy McClennen decided to donate their daughter’s heart. They believe it went to Nicky Carrizales, 3, of San Antonio, who has degenerative heart disease.
A heart was implanted into his body during a five-hour operation Wednesday at Loma Linda University Medical Center, but the little boy’s body refused the heart and another had to be found.
“We feel that if Allison had been able to speak for herself, this is what she would have wanted us to do,” her mother said. “We’re not sorry we did it. We had to try.”
The family also is trying to decide whether to donate other organs belonging to their deceased daughter.
“It’s a big comfort to know that some part of her (could be) living in someone else and could help someone else have a happy life,” the mother said.
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