MHP stages first 'Honor Walk' for organ donor

Otis Carter, Jr. became one of the oldest deceased organ donors on record in Indiana following his unexpected death earlier this month.

On Monday, staff at Major Health Partners in Shelbyville honored the occasion with its first “Honor Walk” – a solemn act of recognition to an organ donor for giving the gift of life. More than 50 MHP nurses, doctors and staff members lined the Critical Care Unit hallway to pay respect to Carter and his family as he was taken to surgery to donate his organs

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Carter’s liver and kidneys were recovered for life-saving transplants. His heart and lungs also were recovered for medical research, which has the potential to save and heal additional lives.

Carter’s family told the Indiana Donor Network, “Otis served in the Air Force and was a member of the American Legion and Masonic Home. Serving his community and others was so important to him.”

Born in Evansville, Indiana, Carter was married to his wife, Leudith, for 35 years. They had two daughters. He loved sports, especially Indiana University football and basketball. He worked for the Department of Transportation.

Older adults often take themselves off of the donor registry, thinking they are too old to donate or that existing medical conditions will prevent them from being donors, according to a media release from the Indiana Donor Network.

The reality is that people of any age can become donor heroes, even with existing medical conditions. There are 114,000 people on the national transplant waiting list.

For more information or to register your donation decision, visit IndianaDonorNetwork.org.