Non profit organization formed in honor of Yantz Shirey. All proceeds earned will be donated to families that their child is receiving a organ transplant.
Yantz's Sun Is Back Foundation was started in August 2014 after the unexpected death of my two and a half year old son, YANTZ. Yantz's life before and after his birth was heavily marked by Gods hands. He would be the fourth member of my role as a mother. He blessed Ashley, my stepdaughter and "his Ashey", Codi, my son and "his Buppy", and Tristen, my daughter, "his Sissy." I was in a tumultuous strained marriage when I unexpectedly got pregnant. My children were all ages 8-22 years old and I was 39. I honestly did not know how to react. I even considered not having this baby. I actually thought of having an abortion. I scheduled it twice and both times God intervened. One day in my shower I was feeling totally desperate and alone and God clearly told me "You WILL have this baby!"
After Yantz was born it was abundantly clear there was something heavenly special about him. He lit up every room he entered. He touched the lives of more people than I can count. The older he got the more I knew that he was extraordinary. For those that knew him will tell you his smile was contagious. His beautiful blond curls and big blue eyes made him bigger than life itself. Everywhere we went people were drawn to him and wanted to even "just touch him."
Every morning since he was able to talk he would wake up and say "Mommy the sun is back!" And he would smile that heavenly smile that brought so much love to his brother, sisters and myself.
While in the hospital hoping against hope, praying all day with numerous friends and family, I begged God not to take away the blessing that he had encouraged me to have just two and a half short years ago. I had realized at a point early in Yantz's life that God knew what I needed, even when I did not. The pain of those few days in Levine Children's Hospital was and is still physically painful. Why did God want him back so early? He was my families sunshine through every dark day. I made a promise to God however, that even if he took my sweet boy home, I would still GLORIFY him.
The day they told me he was gone was the worst day of my life. I was his mother. His earthly protector. It is unnatural to have to let go of your child. My children should one day be burying me, not me letting go of my baby boy. It was the darkest of days. There was no sun that I could see.
The next step was being confronted with donating his organs. His father immediately said yes. My head said no, but my heart screamed yes. So there in my darkest hell I agreed. We donated his heart, liver, kidneys and intestines.
Looking back now I know it is what he would have wanted. So after saving the life of his mother and three siblings in a way no one could ever imagine, he saved the lives of three more people.
A four year old boy from Alabama was given the gift of my Yantz's heart and will have a chance to start preschool this year. Both of his kidneys saved the life of a 48 year old man in South Carolina. He has a chance now to finish raising four children of his own. His liver was successfully transplanted to an 8 year old in New York. He will always be our 'SUPER HERO" for giving the "GIFT OF LIFE TO OTHERS!"
In my research of wanting to start this foundation to keep his name and beautiful memory alive I discovered that 9 times out of 10 parents of young children are not willing or "mentally equipped" to see through the grief in order to donate life to others at the loss of their child.
I am currently in the process of learning and committing my life to help several LifeShare organizations spread the word and assist other families in the same hell that I was in on May 26, 2014. By bringing themselves to help honor their child by letting them "give the gift of life."
This brings us to just one more of Gods plans for my Yantz's life. In my darkest hour he helped me to realize that by donating his organs, some family "desperately waiting in the dark" for an organ to save their child's life had someone walk in their room and say the words...."WE HAVE A DONOR!" I envision them hearing my Yantz's voice, followed by the warmth of Gods touch saying "THE SUN IS BACK."
And so, we are launching YANTZ'S SUN IS BACK FOUNDATION, LLC. We currently have a Federal ID #, our Articles of Incorporation, and status pending on our 501C3. We are a total non profit organization working closely with LifeShare of the Carolinas, Lifelink of FL, GA, and Puerto Rico, DonateLife.Net, Carolinas Healthcare Foundation, and Levine Children's Hospital. We will conduct several fundraisers each year with all proceeds benefiting families that have children receiving transplants and their mounting expenses. Lots of times only one parent can work and the other stays with the waiting child. After leaving the hospital they need extra medical care and we hope to make their "sun is back" experience a little easier.
Please consider not only becoming an organ donor but donating to Yantz's Sun Is Back Foundation. Your donation will be completely tax deductible and will not only help keep my angels memory alive it will help save the life of yet another child.
PLEASE HELP US KEEP YANTZ'S SUN BACK... DAY AFTER DAY, YEAR AFTER YEAR!
Much love,
Stacie, Ashley, Codi, Tristen and Yantz Shirey
Keep the memory of Yantz Shirey alive by sharing his story with others by showing how he gave "the gift of life to others" in his life and death.
Raise money for families struggling to pay bills while receiving a life saving organ transplant for their child/children.
Raise awareness of the importance of becoming a organ donor.
