CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Editors note: The headline in this story has been changed to reflect that one organ donor can impact eight recipients.
Corpus Christi Police Department Officer Kyle Hicks' body left the Corpus Christi International Airport for Dallas on Thursday where he will be part of an organ donating process.
Hicks was a husband, father, son, and first responder for the Corpus Christi community. On Thursday, the streets were flooded with red, white, and blue as officers escorted their friend and comrade to the airport.
Corpus Christi resident Ramiro Alejos saw the procession on Thursday. He said that his heart goes out to all impacted by Hicks' death.
"I didn't know what it was, but I'm glad the fellow officers are here, and God be with all of them," he said.
Hicks' last act of service will help someone have a second chance at life. It's something CHRISTUS Spohn-Shoreline Chief Medical Officer Raymond Acebo said goes a long way.
"One organ donor can typically have an impact on eight people. The liver can be used on two people and the heart can be used on one," he said.
In addition to saving lives, Acebo said an organ donation can instantly change a person's quality of life.
"When you get kidneys you don't have to go to dialysis. Your lifestyle improves because you don't have to spend three days out of the week getting dialyzed," he said.
Southwest Transplant Alliance Marketing and Communications Associate Emma Launceford said that there are exceptions when it comes to getting those life-saving donations to someone who may be far away.
"The people who need them the most, that's who the organs go do, regardless of distance," she said.
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