One Police Officer’s Choice To Be An Organ Donor Saves Another

Fallen Independence Police Officer Blaize Madrid-Evans was able to help another person, even in death. Fittingly it was a fellow police officer and it happened on Friday, September 18, Thank a Police Officer Day.

22-Year-old Blaize Madrid-Evans had just joined the Independence Police Department after graduating from the police academy in July of this year. Madrid-Evans, an organ donor, was shot and killed in the line of duty on September 15. Because he was an organ donor, Madrid-Evans was able to help a fellow police officer, one he never met.

That police officer is Mark Priebe who works for the Springfield Police Department. Officer Priebe was intentionally struck outside of the Springfield Police department in June of last year and left paralyzed. This past year officer Priebe and his family were told his kidneys were failing and he started on dialysis.

What happened next was improbable. The two matched and the Priebe family was informed Officer Priebe would be receiving a kidney from Officer Madrid-Evans. The surgery was Saturday night at a St. Louis Hospital.

According to a press release from the Independence Police Department Priebe woke up from his surgery Sunday and said, “I am forever grateful to Officer Madrid-Evans and his family for providing this direct donation. “I truly believe God had his hand in this and it's been difficult to comprehend why I am allowed to continue to live, and this young, brand new officer had to pay the ultimate sacrifice. I hope that I can honor him and his family by the way I live my life."

According to the Independence Police Department, Officer Priebe's wife Heather says, “I am forever grateful to Officer Madrid-Evans and his family for providing this direct donation,” Officer Priebe said. “I truly believe God had his hand in this and it's been difficult to comprehend why I am allowed to continue to live, and this young, brand new officer had to pay the ultimate sacrifice. I hope that I can honor him and his family by the way I live my life."

You can follow Officer Priebe's recovery on Facebook and support the family of Officer Madrid-Evans through a donation to the Independence Police Foundation.