A Texas mother couldn’t hold back tears as she listened to the heart of her 14-month-old toddler, who drowned in a backyard pool, beating inside another child’s chest after she donated her son’s organs.
Jenny Burns, 37, and her husband Rob, 39, endured the toughest days of 2022 when they pulled their unconscious son Beau from the backyard pool of their Dallas home.
When the Burns family faced the devastating reality that Beau would not survive, they didn’t know that April Flores, a 32-year-old single mother of a four-month-old boy, was praying fervently for her son.
The couple made the brave decision to donate Beau’s organs to three people, one of whom was four-month-old Eli, who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
A year after the successful transplant, the two families reunited and shared a touching moment as Jenny and Bob listened to Beau’s heart beat strong and fast in Eli’s chest.
Jenny Burns, 37, and her husband Rob, 39, couldn’t hold back tears as they listened to the heart of their 14-month-old Beau, who drowned in a backyard pool, beating inside another’s chest. child after she donated. your child’s organs
Jenny and Rob endured the toughest days of 2022 when they pulled an unconscious Beau from the backyard pool of their home in Dallas, Texas.
When the Burns family faced the devastating reality that Beau would not survive, they didn’t know that April Flores (second left), a 32-year-old single mother of a four-month-old boy, was praying fervently for her son.
Beau’s heartbeat (pictured) was restored by PCR, but the 14-month-old boy could not survive and died four days later.
Jenny said PEOPLE: “That first initial meeting, looking into Eli’s mother’s eyes and seeing how grateful she was and then knowing that Eli was living so well because of our decision… it was just overwhelming.”
‘Rob and I like to say it was Beau’s gift, but now it’s Eli’s heart. The heartbeat was so strong and so fast… the heartbeat of a little child.
Jenny remembered the moment she frantically screamed at her husband when she realized Beau was missing.
“When I couldn’t find him (I looked for him for a good three minutes), I knew he was in the pool. He just starts waiting and praying.’
“I was praying for a miracle to happen. God was there with me,” Jenny said.
Although Beau’s heartbeat was restored through PCR, the 14-month-old boy could not survive and died after four days.
“For four days I thought there was hope he would survive. But on the fourth day, the doctor told us that she wouldn’t come back and we had to decide what we would like to do,” Jenny said.
Rob said the decision to donate his son’s organs was a no-brainer, even though the family was enduring the worst nightmare after losing Beau.
“My mother and grandmother were nurse practitioners, so I grew up in a home very focused on medical education and understanding the importance of the decisions that are made,” she said.
“And even though it was a very difficult day for us, I knew someone was going to get that miraculous call, so for me.”
Jenny added: ‘It was a leap of faith. You really had to trust that the decision you’re making is the best one and it’s very difficult at that moment. “You don’t know what it will be like to know you are saving lives.”
A year after the successful transplant, the two families reunited and shared a touching moment as Jenny and Bob listened to Beau’s heart beating strong and fast in Eli’s chest.
Jenny added: ‘It was a leap of faith. You really had to trust that the decision you’re making is the best one and it’s very difficult at that moment. You don’t know what it will be like to know that you are saving lives’
When the Burns family contacted her last year, Flores acknowledged she was concerned.
That night, Flores learned of the Burns family’s loss, but had no idea what would happen next.
‘I prayed a lot for the family that was losing their partner, their son. I didn’t know where it came from,” Flores said.
“The night we found out, before we went to bed, I prayed for a heart for Eli because he has a whole life to live.”
‘At 3.47am, I got the call from our heart transplant team…after the transplant, he was an instantly different Eli. There was so much joy that he could see through his face.
When the Burns family contacted her last year, Flores acknowledged she was concerned.
‘I am a single mother. What if they wanted her child’s heart to go to a family with a mother and father? Is my son good enough for you to have received your son’s heart? Flores recalled.
Jenny and Rob also met four-year-old Leonel, who was born with citrullinemia type 1 and was saved by Beau.
Leonel’s mother, Ginamarie Rodríguez (second from left), shared the exact same sentiment, saying: ‘I don’t know how to explain it, but it felt like family. Going through everything we both went through, we are all grieving. I will be eternally grateful to you
‘Leonel is so beautiful. “He’s just a naughty little 4-year-old boy, and it was so good to see him laugh and live so loudly,” Jenny said.
But when the two families were reunited in October last year, all fears were dispelled and replaced by big hugs and tears as they greeted each other.
Flores said: ‘It was just an instant connection. It’s hard to put into words what they have done to give my son a chance in life, but we are forever connected.
Jenny and Rob also met four-year-old Leonel, born with type 1 citrullinemia, whose life was saved by Beau’s liver.
‘Leonel is so beautiful. “He’s just a naughty 4-year-old, and it was so good to see him laugh and live so loudly,” Jenny said.
‘I don’t know what it is about these women, but we have this incredible bond. Both Ginamarie and April will be in our lives forever and I will have two more children.
Leonel’s mother, Ginamarie Rodríguez, shared the exact same sentiment, saying, “I don’t know how to explain it, but it felt like family.” Going through everything we both went through, we are all grieving. I will be eternally grateful to them.”
In January 2023, Jenny discovered she was pregnant with another baby and joyfully welcomed Jack, whom she described as a “miracle”, as she shared the news with DailyMail.com.
In January 2023, Jenny discovered she was pregnant with another baby and joyfully welcomed Jack, whom she described as a “miracle”, as she shared the news with DailyMail.com.
Jenny said her mission is to share Beau’s story and spread knowledge about organ donation, drowning prevention and grieving the loss of children.
‘Without my husband, I probably would have said no. [I felt like] “They were taking away the time I needed to say goodbye to my son, but Rob saw the bigger picture and it was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life,” she said.
“Beau was gone and there was nothing I could do about it, but I could do this and help someone else.” [and] Help another mom with her little one. Watching them grow and seeing their mother’s love in them heals my heart.”