Regions Hospital Memorial Wall to remember those who gave

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - Regions Hospital in St. Paul is honoring the people who gave others a second chance at life with the stories of organ, tissue, and eye donors being prominently featured on a new digital display. There are nearly 170 names of donors the wall which is designed to remember their generosity, and encourage others to give.

Steve Hegman loved playing the piano for a living and said one day, he wanted to leave his baby grand to his niece.

“Steve wasn’t married he didn’t have kids,” said his sister, Debbie Holt.

Holt says that opportunity came much too soon, when he was only 57 years old.

“He was raking leaves off the roof and fell off the ladder.”

Hegman died from a serious head injury. Doctors asked his family if they wanted to donate his organs, but they weren’t sure.

“So we went and got his license out of his wallet and looked, and sure enough he had checked he wanted to be a donor.”

That decision helped more than 60 people, giving them, a second chance at life.

At Regions Hospital, more than 170 organ donors, including Hegman, are being remembered. Their names and stories are captured on what’s being called the “Gift of Life Memorial Wall” located in the main lobby..

“The significance of it is to both really honor those patients who have given those gifts, and to really spread the word about organ donation in general,” said Megan Remark, C.E.O. and President of Regions Hospital.