"Giving Gifts Even at the End"... 98-Year-Old Korean War Veteran Makes 'Oldest Organ Donation'

98-Year-Old Orville Allen Donated Liver
Also Served in World War II and Korean War

An American man, aged 98, who served as a Korean War veteran and educator, gifted new life through organ donation in his final moments and passed away. He is reported to be the oldest organ donor in U.S. history.

On the 12th (local time), the Associated Press reported that Orville Allen, who died at the age of 98 last month at a hospital in Missouri, donated his liver. Allen, who lived in the small southeastern Missouri town of Poplar Bluff, fell and hit his head hard while cleaning around his house after a storm passed on the 27th of last month. He was transferred to a hospital in the nearby city of Cape Girardeau, but his brain edema was severe and beyond treatment. Brain edema refers to an abnormal increase in water content within the brain parenchyma, causing an increase in brain tissue volume.

Allen Orville, a Korean War veteran who became the oldest organ donor in the United States, holding his great-grandson during his lifetime (far left).
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

During the family's preparations to say goodbye to Allen, hospital staff asked if he was willing to donate his liver. Given his advanced age, the family was surprised, but the doctor said the organ was suitable for transplantation. Considering Allen’s personality?always putting others first and helping neighbors in need?the family decided there was no reason to hesitate about organ donation.

Allen’s liver was successfully transplanted into a 72-year-old woman. The organ donation organization stated that Allen was the oldest person to donate organs in the United States. Previously, the oldest organ donor was Cecil Lockhart, who donated his liver at age 95 when he passed away in 2021.

Allen was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. During World War II, he served as a pilot in the Army Air Corps, and during the Korean War, he served in the 1st Cavalry Division. After the wars, he served 27 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He was also an educator and farmer, teaching agriculture at a high school and farming for nearly 40 years. He had three children?two sons and a daughter?with his late wife Geraldine, who passed away in 2019. He also had three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

The family said Allen gave a gift even in his final moments. Linda Mitchell, Allen’s daughter, said the organ donation "was something my father had done all his life, and because of it, the sorrow of losing him turned into a small ray of joy. My father gave one more gift." Allen’s son Greg also said, "Organ donation was a source of hope during a time filled with grief," adding, "Being able to help someone continue their life through organ donation is a wonderful thing."

Netizens who heard the news responded with comments such as "A wonderful and admirable life," "Thank you to the veterans," "A dignified and touching life that makes my heart tremble," and "Deep gratitude for the decision to donate."

Meanwhile, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) reported that more people than ever are receiving organ transplants. According to UNOS, the number of organ transplants has exceeded 46,000, with liver transplants surpassing 10,000 for the first time in history.