Port St. Lucie man helps 50 with organ donation

PORT ST. LUCIE, FL-- Tom Grosse was a loving husband and father. His family described him as selfless. He was only 58 when he passed away. 

Grosse’s death was tragic and unexpected. But his family has managed to take comfort in his final act of kindness.

That's because Tom was an organ donor.

"As sad as we are to see him go, because he was the love of our lives, there is joy that someone will benefit...everyday," said Kristina Grosse, Tom's widow.

His family said Tom seemed to be in very good shape. In fact, Tom was driving back from the gym a week ago and he was on the phone with his son, when an Emergency Medical Technician saw his car go off the road. He had suffered a heart attack. 

That night, the Organ Donor Foundation reached out to the family.  "They said, 'what can we use,' and I said  'everything, everything you can use,' " said Grosse. 

The next day Kristina got another call, this one letting her know her husband's organs had given 50 people a new lease on life. 

"Even though we were grieving because of our loss, we know there are families that now have hope," she said.

Grosse says in this season of giving, she is trying not being angry or sad about her husband's death, but happy he was able to give dozens the greatest gift of all.  "To know that you have given comfort to another family, it's what keeps me going right now, that I know that he didn't die for nothing." 

Now Tom's widow and daughter say their mission is to speak out about the importance of becoming an organ donor.