A toddler, who died in a tragic fire that killed his entire family, is now giving life to others.
Cordail Kuhns, 2, died Saturday at Crozer-Chester Medical Center from injuries he suffered in that July 4th fire in Lancaster.
The fire also killed family friend Jimmie Moore, Cordail’s parents David and Crystal Kuhn and three siblings, brothers Skyler, 8, and Shawn, 6, and sister, Mickie, 4.
Cordail was the last survivor before he died Saturday. The Kuhns’ extended family now forced to plan a funeral for six.
“It’s a lot,” said Mary Mendoza, David Kuhns’ niece. “Because a lot of people are used to doing one and we’re doing six, and four of them are children. That’s very rough.”
But in the midst of their grief, the family made the decision to donate Cordail’s organs. His heart went to one child, both of his kidneys to another.
As a longtime trauma nurse manager and member of Lancaster General Health’s Organ Donation Committee, TammyJo Stetler has seen firsthand the comfort organ donation can bring to a donor’s family.
“It also helps make something so wrong, maybe a little easier to handle when you know that you’re giving a gift to at least one other person, if not many others,” Stetler said.
There are more than 8,000 Pennsylvanians waiting for a life-saving organ transplant. Many of them are children.
“There is a really big need, for children that are waiting for organ transplantation,” Stetler said. “There is a really big need for that.”
Stetler encourages anyone who would like to be an organ donor to designate it on their driver’s license, and make sure family members are aware of your wishes.
To learn more about organ donation: