8-Year-Old Quadruple Organ Transplant Recipient Meets Parents Of Girl, 5, Who Saved Her Life

An 8-year-old little girl, Kyree Beachem, underwent a quadruple organ transplant after receiving all four of her organs from 5-year-old Arianna, who passed away unexpectedly last month. In a highly emotional visit, Arianna’s parents, Luis and Evelyn Morales, met with Kyree for the first time and learned that the little girl that their daughter saved is like her in many ways. From her dimples to a love of the Disney movie Frozen, the Morales family says that Kyree shares many traits with their late daughter. In addition to saving the life of Kyree, three additional children also received life-saving organs from Arianna when she passed away last month.

The Daily Mail reports that Luis and Evelyn Morales had the opportunity to meet one of the children that their daughter’s organs saved, and spent their time telling the grateful eight-year-old Kyree all about their late daughter. Evelyn says that as the family discussed Arianna with Kyree, they learned that the pair had a lot in common and noted that they were both fighters.

“It was really nice to get to meet this little girl who was so much like our daughter and was a fighter, too, just like Arianna.”

The Morales family say that Arianna was born with holoprosencephaly, a disorder caused by her brain not properly dividing and growing when she was in the womb, and died suddenly in November after getting sick. The family does not believe the holoprosencephaly had anything to do with her death, but said it proved she was a fighter in life. Arianna’s family says it is difficult not having their daughter here anymore, but says that it is wonderful seeing all the positive things that have come from their daughter’s passing. Evelyn says they are focusing on those positive things and that it is amazing.

“It’s so hard to think Arianna’s not here with us anymore, focusing on all the positive things coming from her life is amazing.”

It isn’t just the Morales family focusing on the positive. Eight-year-old Kyree’s mother Nan says that Luis and Evelyn are the most “beautiful people” she has ever met, and that words cannot express how grateful she is for their selfless act in the middle of a nightmare. Nan says there really is no way to thank them for what they did, but that it was wonderful to hear stories about Arianna and to hear the similarities in the girls.

“How do you say thank you to the people who made the most selfless decision in the middle of their worst nightmare? Tonight, [our] family had the honor to meet Arianna’s parents. Luis and Evelyn are two of the most beautiful people I’ve met. We shared stories about both girls and were amazed at so many similarities. At no point, when they did the organ and tissue matches, did they take into account their matching dimples, obsession with Frozen, Tinkerbell or guitars.”

The meeting was very emotional, but the families say there weren’t many tears or sobbing. Instead, the focus was on the amazing gift that was given to Kyree and memorializing Arianna’s life. Nan gave the Morales family a customized Christmas tree ornament to remember Arianna by that featured the words, “Kyree’s Angel” and Arianna’s name across the front.

Nan says she will never forget the kindness of the Morales family and that in their time of deep sadness were able to put others first and ultimately saved the lives of multiple children and have allowed other families the opportunity to continue holding their child’s hands.

“Not only has Kyree been given that chance, but three other families are holding their child’s hands because of Arianna’s gift of life.”

[Image via Kyree’s Dream Team/Facebook]