Tara Parker was a treasured mother, a devoted sister, a talented writer, and a die-hard Miami Dolphins fan. Described by her youngest child, Nic, as “really bright, sweet, and funny,” she was fiercely loyal and always made a point to spend quality time with her family.
Tara passed away on October 6, 2022, at the age of 50. Her family, devastated by the sudden loss, faced a heart-wrenching decision. Her sister, Jen Weinberg, remembers the moment they were first approached about organ donation.
“I told them she’d definitely want to help other people,” said Jen. “She would have given the shirt off her back for anybody, so there’s no way that she would have said no to donation. She was able to give two kidneys and just recently her heart valve went to a recipient in Michigan. She also donated bone marrow, retinas, and skin grafts. She was a big tissue donor. She was able to help a lot of people, and I know she would be really happy about that.”
For Tara’s children, Nic and Devin Parker, the memories of their mother are filled with joy, laughter, and support. “She was so funny and always joked around with us,” Nic recalled. “She always cared about us, checking in to see how we were doing.”
Jen speaks of Tara as not just a sister, but as a lifelong companion who shared her journey through life. “We were both born in Florida, and we traveled with our dad a lot growing up,” said Jen. “She was very, very loyal. Her kids were my kids, and vice versa.”
Today, the whole family is comforted by the fact that she lives on through others.
“It has such a deep meaning, at least to me,” said her niece, Emma Weinberg. “We don’t know exactly what the skin grafts were used for, but no matter what, it brought people life. I think it’s a very selfless thing to do, and I just feel like it’s so important and beautiful to help somebody else. If you want your name to live on and your energy and soul to continue, I think that giving life to somebody else is the best way to do that.”
Did you know? One donor can save and heal up to 75 lives! Sign up to be an organ, eye, and tissue donor today!
