Mackenzie Gaining Her Wings
Mackenzie Hope Bonner
Sunrise - September 17, 2001
Sunset - August 2, 2020
Early Thursday morning (July 30th, 2020) around 2-2:30am, My 18 year old sister, Mack, woke up unable to breathe. She woke her Boyfriend, our Mom & step Father up who took her downstairs and called 911. While waiting for the ambulance, she was given her rescue inhaler and a breathing treatment as she is a severe asthmatic and these kind of attacks haven’t been a stranger to her, but this one was much different. She said “Mom, if I die, I love you and tell Julian I love him”. Shortly following the arrival of EMS, Mack began foaming at the mouth and lost consciousness. Her condition rapidly deteriorated and the paramedics were suddenly performing CPR. After 10-20 minutes of CPR, they finally restarted her heart. It was estimated that Mackenzie was without oxygen or a pulse for at least 10 minutes.
In the ICU, Mack was kept sedated and on a ventilator throughout the following day. On Friday morning, she began showing signs that the damage she sustained may be worse than we expected. The ICU staff was concerned about severe brain damage due to oxygen deprivation, and recommended advanced imaging. During multiple attempts to perform the CT scan, Mackenzie suffered complications that were consistent with a brain herniation. We soon learned that a brain herniation is a complication that is not treatable, and not compatible with life.
The ICU staff performed multiple physical exams, reflex exams, an EEG and a cerebral blood flow scan to determine Mack’s prognosis. At 1:25am on Sunday August 2, 2020 our 18 year old, happy-go-lucky, energetic, always yelling, no shoes wearing, beautiful baby sister was declared brain dead.
Despite this heartbreaking circumstance, we are trying to see the silver-lining in the form of organ donation. Our baby sister chose to be an organ donor, and because of this she has the opportunity to save 7-9 other lives. The only information we have for the lives that she is saving so far is that
-Her heart is going to a 13 year old boy
-Her liver is going to a 14 year old girl
-Her pancreas & one of her kidneys are going to a 30 year old female
Our goal is $35000 to cover Mackenzie’s hospital costs, funeral expenses, and any leftover fund will be placed into a savings account for Mack’s 3 year old son, Julian.
