Grieving Mother Hears Son's Heartbeat in Little Girl's Chest: 'He's Continuing on through Her'

Revolutionizing grief into grace, a heartbroken mother did not allow her baby boy to die in vain, making sure that his heart beats on even after he was gone.

In 2013, a little girl and her mom received the most wonderful and life-saving news. This miracle was all possible through the hands of a compassionate 25-year-old mother from Rancho Cucamonga, California.

With a new rhythm in her chest, Jordan Drake now walks around with a shared heartbeat that she received after a little boy, Lukas Clark, tragically passed away.

AN IMPOSSIBLE DECISION

Only a few months old, due to vicious abuse at the hands of his babysitter, Lukas found himself in hospital, with little chance of surviving.

Asked about organ donation, the boy's mom, Heather Clark, had no idea what to do but eventually chose the path she felt was the right one.

A GRATEFUL RECIPIENT

Through unspeakable pain, the mom eventually decided to allow Lukas' organs to be donated. Although the mother knew it was the correct course of action, she struggled to go through with it, expressing:

"When I signed off permission, I knew my baby was 100 percent gone. And that was so hard.”

Her son's heart was then transplanted into a 16-month-old Jordan who suffered from a heart condition — mitral valve regurgitation. Although he was gone, Lukas had saved a life.

CONNECTING WITH EACH OTHER

Although the overall procedure is meant to remain anonymous, Jordan's mother, Esther Gonzalez from Arizona, and Heather managed to contact one another.

Eventually, the two parents, along with Jordan, met in person on January 29, 2016, complete with tears and hugs.

A MOMENT TO REMEMBER

During this meeting, Heather listened to her son's heartbeat, placing a stethoscope on the then-4-year-old girl's chest, crying as she listened to her little Lukas. Looking back at the moment, she stated:

“The sound was so strong. I could feel him there with me. He is continuing on through her, no doubt.”

In an attempt to give Heather an ongoing source of comfort, Gonzalez and her daughter gifted her with a Build-A-Bear. They completed this present with a recording of her son's beating heart put inside the toy.

MORE TALES TO TELL

Donate Life Arizona shared a picture of the mom listening to her late baby boy's heartbeat. Comments flooded in, with many donors and those who received donations telling their stories. Gus Acevedo-Vélezl penned:

"I have a kidney transplant, and all I can say is THANK YOU! [sic]"

From saving the lives of Jordan to Acevedo-Vélezl, donors continue to prevent deaths throughout the globe. In 2015 and in Arizona alone, 158 Arizonans donated their organs, saving 433 lives.

BONDS THAT CAN NOT BE BROKEN

While numbers make an impression, those who are touched by the donations genuinely realize what an extraordinary act of compassion it is. If one thing, it brought strangers together that are now, as Gonzalez expressed, a big family.

Therefore, Lukas not only saved a life but also helped create what looks to be a life-long connection between loving individuals who used to know nothing about one another.

ALMOST GONE

If not physically living inside them, those who have experienced another human being saving their lives always keep those heroes in their hearts.

As a child, Christopher Jones was close to death and drowning when a then-police officer Poole jumped in and pulled him out.

Although they went their separate ways, in 2016 and all grown, Jones made a plan, reuniting with his hero and thanking him.

The two embraced one another, with the former police officer completely astounded that someone had taken the time to thank him.

From signing organ donation papers to jumping in that pool, courage is a crucial factor in living one's life with integrity and possibly becoming a hero in the process.