MASSARO: Grieving dad lauds gift of son's organs

By Gary Massaro, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Special To The Rocky

After Juan Sandoval died five months ago, his family donated his heart, kidneys and eyes. "It's a celebration of the person's life," said his father, Jimmy Sandoval.

Jimmy Sandoval couldn't completely let go of his son, Juan, not even after losing him to a drunken driver.

He persuaded what was left of his family to overcome their heartache and do something for people they don't know and most likely will never meet.

"Out of tragedy came victory," Sandoval said. "We saved three people's lives."

Jimmy, his ex-wife and two other children agreed to allow Juan Sandoval to become an organ donor.

"We donated his heart, his kidneys and his eyes," Sandoval said.

Juan died five months ago. He was 29.

"Just now I'm able to talk about it," Sandoval said Thursday.

Juan grew up mostly in Boulder. Jimmy and his ex-wife, Antonia Luna, grew up in Pueblo's Bessemer neighborhood. Jimmy graduated from Central High School in 1967, playing football and wrestling.

He worked a variety of jobs, including gravedigger at Mountain View Cemetery. Then a friend recruited him to enroll at the University of Colorado in 1977.

So Sandoval and his wife were raising their family in Boulder. Juan wrestled for Centennial Middle School.

But Sandoval and his wife divorced. "Then he moved to Texas with his mom," Sandoval said.

Sandoval moved back to Pueblo, where he taught and coached. Then he decided he needed a change. So he got a job with a carnival the past two years.

He also became a born-again Christian along the way.

But he always believed in prayer.

"It was my mother's prayers that got me through college," he said. "I'd call her before every final. She'd say, 'You're in my prayers.' "

The way he grew up, he was supposed to finish high school and then go to work in the steel mill or other blue-collar jobs.

In college, he excelled, going on to get his master's degree in bilingual education.

But the blue-collar roots were never far behind.

"When I called my mom to tell her I had made the dean's list the first time, she said, 'You're not in any trouble, are you?' I said, 'No, Mom. For the first time in my life I made straight A's.' "

Lately, he has been working construction. But he said he wants to go back to helping kids.

He was kind of thinking of getting back in teaching when he got the call that his son was dying in Dallas.

At the hospital, organ donation personnel stopped by.

"They were really sensitive people," Sandoval said.

At first, his ex-wife and daughter were reluctant to sign off.

"I told them it would be a blessing," Sandoval said. "His life would mean something to other people. His legacy would continue on."

Finally, they relented.

"What helped me most was people I didn't even know - the staff - came up and gave me hugs and said prayers for us," Sandoval said.

And, after five months of grieving in silence, he is now speaking up on behalf of organ donations.

"Let people know donating organs is OK," Sandoval said. "It's a celebration of the person's life. Their destiny keeps on going."

massarog@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5271

• July 5, 2008

  8:54 a.m.

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  HollyGoLightly writes:

  First let me say that I am sorry for your loss, Mr. Sandoval. You and your family did a very courageous act and in doing so, you saved lives. Juan saved lives. Sharing your story may save more lives. Thank you.