Lucas, Ohio — Andrea Mauk was thousands of miles away when she learned that her 18-year-old son, Damon, had died in a devastating car crash. But after returning home, the Ohio mother says she faced another heartbreaking discovery: parts of her son’s body had already been removed for tissue donation before she had been contacted.
Mauk says she was in Costa Rica with her husband and friends when her parents delivered the news that Damon had died. She recalled being so overwhelmed by grief that she had to be sedated.
But according to Mauk, the hospital never called her, even though she says she was listed as Damon’s primary emergency contact and could have been reached.
Damon Had Just Graduated High School
Damon had recently graduated from high school and was studying for his real-estate license when the crash occurred on June 24, 2023, according to his mother.
Mauk said his vehicle slid off a rural road in Lucas and struck a tree. Because she was out of the country, she could not immediately get to her son’s side.
She says the situation became even more painful when she later went to the funeral home and discovered that tissue had already been recovered from Damon.
“I was completely devastated,” Mauk told The Post.
She said she could barely look at her son after learning what had happened.
Mother Says She Was Never Contacted
According to Mauk, Damon was not a registered organ donor. However, consent for tissue donation was reportedly obtained from his biological father.
Mauk says she had raised Damon and had remained closely involved in his life, while his biological father had played little role in raising him.
She believes the circumstances exposed a gap in the current system because, in her view, a simple phone call could have reached her.
Mauk says Damon’s eyes, skin, heart valves, ligaments and other tissue were recovered as “anatomical gifts.” She later learned that some tissue was reportedly sent to research or biologics organizations, while his eyes were sent to Argentina.
“I loved Damon very deeply,” she said. “I had him when I was very young and we always joked that we brought each other up.”
Mother Wants Changes to Donation Rules
Mauk says she supports organ and tissue donation and does not want her experience to discourage others from donating.
“I believe in organ donation,” she said. “This is not about ending the gift of life.”
Instead, she wants families to have clearer protections and communication when a loved one dies unexpectedly.
Her grief eventually turned into an advocacy campaign. Mauk contacted lawmakers and testified before the Ohio Senate about what she considers weaknesses in the state’s tissue donation procedures.
She also launched a Change.org petition supporting “Damon’s Law,” which she says would strengthen hospital procedures surrounding tissue donation and family notification.
Federal Scrutiny Adds to Concerns
Mauk’s story comes as the nation’s organ procurement system faces increased scrutiny.
On July 21, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced an initiative aimed at reforming the organ transplant system and developing clearer, enforceable policies regarding donor eligibility.
The move followed an investigation into an organ procurement organization serving Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. Investigators reported concerns involving patient death determinations, neurological assessments, coordination with medical teams and consent practices.
Federal rules require hospitals participating in Medicare or Medicaid to notify organ procurement organizations about deaths and imminent deaths, including situations involving people who are not registered donors.
A Mother’s Fight for Her Son
For Mauk, the broader debate about organ and tissue donation remains deeply personal.
She says the issue is not whether donations can save lives, but whether grieving families should have a meaningful opportunity to understand what is happening to their loved one’s body.
“Damon deserved to have dignity in death,” she said.
Her campaign is now focused on changing the procedures she believes failed her family during the most painful moment of her life. And Mauk continues to identify herself by the role she says will always define her relationship with Damon:
“Forever Damon’s mother.”
What do you think about the rules surrounding family notification and tissue donation after an unexpected death? Share your thoughts in the comments below.