Romain Rouillard (comment collected by Yasmina Kattou) / Photo credit: MYCHELE DANIAU / ARCHIVES / AFP
In 2018, Maryline lost her 18-year-old son Antoine in a scooter accident. Despite the shock and immense pain that accompanies the loss of a child, this mother chose to donate her son’s organs to save the lives of others.
On this national day of reflection on organ donation, it is a testimony that is both edifying and poignant that Maryline delivers to the microphone of Europe 1. This mother of a family lost her son Antoine in 2018, victim of a scooter accident. And despite the intense and indelible pain of losing a child, she made the decision to donate her son’s organs to save the lives of others.
“I had tried to talk about this with my son but he was 18 and he wasn’t interested. He said to himself ‘why talk about this when I’m only 18?'”, confides Maryline who has So made this choice after discussions with her daughter. And the two women quickly agreed. “For us, it seemed really obvious to donate Antoine’s organs because Antoine was a very generous person who loved others,” she continues.
“I am proud of my son”
Six weeks later, Maryline receives the good news. “All the grafts had taken. There was the heart, the liver, the pancreas, the two kidneys, arteries and vessels”. She sums up this initiative in one sentence: “If in our misfortune, we can bring happiness to families, that fills us”.
Saying to herself “proud of this decision”, Maryline concludes with a tribute to her deceased son. “I am proud of my son. For me, my son is a hero. I say it and I repeat it”. Last year, organ donation saved 5,550 lives.