Life Stories: The Nation’s Oldest Organ Donor

Carlton Blackburn

Organ Donor: Keene, TX

Carlton Blackburn, a retired teacher and devoted father, was a remarkable person who never stopped teaching his family about the many wonders of the world. Carlton himself was one of those wonders. Just nine days shy of his 93rd birthday, he became the nation’s oldest organ donor. Carlton’s wife and children made the decision to donate Carlton’s liver following his death from a brain hemorrhage.

Thanks to this gift, a 69-year-old woman suffering from end-stage liver disease is alive and is progressing well. And in his final and perhaps most valuable lesson of all, Carlton illustrated that age is no barrier to sharing life.

Carlton’s story is courtesy of LifeGift, Houston, TX.

Thanks to Carlton’s gift, a 69-year-old woman suffering from end-stage liver disease is alive and is progressing well.