Lubbock Mother Finds Peace After Donating Son's Organs

Sharon Fitch and her husband donated their son Matthew's organs after his unexpected death at 41 years old.

Apr. 18, 2026 at 1:51am

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A translucent X-ray photograph revealing the ghostly outline of a human lung, glowing with an ethereal energy to symbolize the life-saving gift of organ donation.An organ donation recipient's second chance at life is a poignant reminder of the profound impact one family's decision can have.Lubbock Today

Sharon Fitch and her husband donated the organs of their 41-year-old son, Matthew, after he passed away unexpectedly. Though initially devastated, Fitch found peace in knowing Matthew's organs went on to save other lives, including a recipient of his lungs who later reached out to express gratitude.

Why it matters

Organ donation is a critical but often misunderstood issue, with many misconceptions preventing people from signing up. This story highlights the profound impact one family's decision can have, inspiring others to consider becoming donors and potentially saving thousands of lives.

The details

After Matthew's death, the Fitch family decided to donate his organs, including his heart, lungs, kidneys, and other tissues. While the heart recipient unfortunately did not survive the transplant, the lung recipient later reached out to the family to express deep gratitude, letting them know that 'Matthew lives on' in him. The Fitch family has since built a correspondence with the lung recipient and plan to meet him in person.

  • Matthew Fitch passed away unexpectedly at the age of 41.
  • The Fitch family donated Matthew's organs shortly after his death.
  • The lung recipient contacted the Fitch family on what would have been Matthew's first birthday after his passing.
  • The Fitch family and lung recipient plan to meet in person next month.

The players

Sharon Fitch

A Lubbock, Texas mother who, along with her husband, made the decision to donate her 41-year-old son Matthew's organs after his unexpected passing.

Matthew Fitch

Sharon Fitch's 41-year-old son, whose organs were donated after his death, going on to save other lives.

LifeGift

A non-profit organ procurement organization that works to facilitate organ and tissue donation in Texas.

Barbara VerWey

The community engagement specialist for LifeGift, who discussed common misconceptions about organ donation.

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What they’re saying

“To hear those words that he could actually bring life to other people, we didn't even hesitate.”

— Sharon Fitch, Mother

“That's the number one myth we hear out at community events, 'Oh I don't want to have that little heart on my driver's license because the doctors won't try to save me and just want my organs.'”

— Barbara VerWey, Community Engagement Specialist, LifeGift

“We need everyone that can be a donor to please be a donor.”

— Barbara VerWey, Community Engagement Specialist, LifeGift

“It gave me a lot of hope. It was really impactful for something good to come out of such a tragic thing.”

— Sharon Fitch, Mother

“Wow. To let a mother know, okay he's living. That's what it told me, that he was still alive.”

— Sharon Fitch, Mother

What’s next

The Fitch family plans to meet the lung recipient in person next month.

The takeaway

This story highlights the profound impact organ donation can have, not only in saving lives but also in providing comfort and meaning to grieving families. It underscores the importance of addressing misconceptions around organ donation and encouraging more people to sign up as donors.