Oaxacan nurse donates her organs and saves lives!
Nursing Student’s Final Act of Kindness Saves Lives After Tragic Accident in Oaxaca
The story of 20-year-old nursing student Rosaura García Moreno, from Tuxtepec, Oaxaca, is one that blends heartbreak with extraordinary generosity. What began as a devastating car accident became a moment of hope for many others, thanks to a decision that will continue to change lives for years to come.
Rosaura was a student at the Universidad del Papaloapan’s Tuxtepec campus, where she was training to become a nurse—a career she chose out of a genuine passion for caring for others. Friends and classmates describe her as a bright, warm, and compassionate young woman who approached her studies with dedication and a desire to help anyone in need. She had already shown great promise in her field, and her dream was to work in healthcare, providing comfort and healing to patients.
That dream was cut short when a severe car accident left her with catastrophic injuries. After being rushed to the hospital, doctors determined that she had suffered brain death, a condition in which all brain activity ceases, leaving no chance of recovery. Faced with unbearable grief, Rosaura’s parents were asked an unthinkable question: would they consider organ donation?
Instead of retreating into their loss, her parents made the courageous choice to honor their daughter’s lifelong dream of helping others. They consented to the donation of her organs, knowing it was what Rosaura would have wanted.
The process was coordinated by the High Specialty Medical Unit (UMAE) of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), at the Adolfo Ruiz Cortines National Medical Center’s Specialty Hospital No. 14 in Veracruz. Highly skilled surgical teams carried out the procedures with precision and care to ensure that her organs would be able to help those who needed them most.
Her kidneys and corneas were transplanted into patients in Veracruz, while her liver was sent to the Siglo XXI UMAE in Mexico City for another critically ill patient. According to medical experts, the decision of a single donor can save up to eight lives directly, and improve the quality of life for dozens more through tissue donations such as corneas, skin, and bone. Rosaura’s gift is already changing lives—helping patients regain sight, receive vital organ transplants, and move toward recovery.
The impact of organ donation in Mexico remains significant. Thousands of patients nationwide are currently on transplant waiting lists, hoping for the call that could save them. Sadly, many never get the chance because of the shortage of donors. Myths, fear, and lack of information still prevent some from considering this life-saving act. Rosaura’s story is a powerful reminder that organ donation is not only a medical decision but also an act of human solidarity that can transform tragedy into hope.
The IMSS and the medical teams involved have publicly honored Rosaura’s memory, recognizing the bravery of her family and the magnitude of her contribution. The recipients of her organs now have the opportunity to continue living—some regaining health after years of illness, others experiencing the joy of seeing loved ones again after corneal transplants. These are not just medical statistics; they are personal victories, made possible by one young woman’s final act of compassion.
For Rosaura’s family, there is comfort in knowing that their daughter’s spirit lives on through the people she helped. Her heart, compassion, and dreams now continue in the lives she saved. Friends say that even in her absence, she remains a guiding light—proof that kindness and empathy can leave a legacy that outlasts a lifetime.
Rosaura García Moreno will be remembered not only as a promising nursing student but also as a hero whose final gift brought healing, vision, and renewed life to many. Her story is a call to action for all of us—to consider the power we hold to help others, even in our final moments, and to see organ donation as one of the greatest legacies we can leave behind.
