The story of Joe: A policeman who gave the ultimate gift of life

By Lisa Romero
For the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation

NOTHING WILL BRING YOU TO YOUR EMOTIONAL KNEES FASTER than the story of a mother and father who lost not just a young son, cut down in the prime of life, but a role model for the entire family and community. The story of a man whose love of helping others knew no bounds - whose life ultimately helped save more than 50 people.

Joe Chairez

Shortly before police officer JOE CHAIREZ, 24, of Sacramento, Calif., suffered a fatal aneurysm and died in 2000, he had asked his parents to promise that if anything should ever happen, they'd honor his decision to be an organ donor.

This should have come as no surprise: He was elected president of his high-school class and, later, student body president... had always been a high achiever who viewed life as something you could never take for granted.

His father, Jess Chairez, held nothing back from his son: He told him he'd never permit it. "There was no way," was all Jess would say in explaining, shaking his head. You got the sense that Jess struggled with a decision that impacts so many donor families.

Jess and Theresa Chairez

That ended when the doctors told him and his wife Theresa that Joe had a 1% chance of survival.

"I went to God, and I prayed," Jess told sisters with tears in his eyes. "I said, what should I do? And He told me, 'If you honor your son by doing this, you'll honor me.' And I knew it's what Joe wanted, it was the right thing to do."

Jess and Theresa - who now view the Transplant Games athletes and living donors as a second family - have never regretted that decision. That was doubly true when they were invited to hear the beating heart of their son in the transplant patient who received it.

"You need to know," Jess said, "that my son saved four lives that day." What's more, as a regular blood donor since the age of 16, Joe had also helped save the lives of at least 42 other lives, as his parents were informed by the local blood bank after his passing.

"What you are doing here today - supporting the Games, helping people understand what it's all about... well, I can't thank you enough," Jess said. "I'm so proud of you. Even though we've only just met, I know you. You're a part of everything here. You make a difference."

Joe donated to Foundation all five of the pins he has had specially created in his son's memory - and distributed to athletes since 2000. (We'll post them as a collection later tonight.) And he wants to keep in touch.

"God has different answers for all of us," Jess said, explaining that donor families have a difficult burden in deciding what to do. But he's glad he heard the "call" of his son.

And we're so glad the Chairez family stopped to share their story.