Photo of Magnus

“[When he was alive], Magnus could not see with his own two eyes due to a neurological issue,” Tiffany says, “But as an angel, he had the ability to share those very same eyes to save the sight of two people.”

Three years have passed since Tiffany and her family made a selfless decision that transformed their unimaginable loss into hope for others. Their son, Magnus, sadly died when he was only four years old after a series of serious medical challenges. But to the family, conversations about end-of-life choices were not about giving up hope – they were about giving meaning to life.

Tiffany and Luke consulted with the Pediatric Advanced Care Team at their hospital about their options. Tiffany thought about her own experience, including children she knew on transplant waiting lists and parents anxiously waiting for that life-changing phone call. She understood that lives that could be saved, and suffering eased, through the compassionate choice to donate.

While Magnus was unable to donate his major organs, Tiffany and Luke learned that he could be an eye and tissue donor. When the Trillium Gift of Life Network called to say his eyes could restore sight to two people, the family didn’t hesitate.

One of his eyes was donated to a 58-year-old man suffering from keratoconus, a disease that distorts the cornea. The other went to a 49-year-old woman battling microbial keratitis, a painful infection threatening her sight.

“[When he was alive], Magnus could not see with his own two eyes due to a neurological issue,” Tiffany says, “But as an angel, he had the ability to share those very same eyes to save the sight of two people.”

For her, it was a bittersweet experience – but also beautiful one.

Magnus’ story is a powerful example of the lasting impact of organ and tissue donation. Every year, the Eye Bank of Canada at Kensington Health processes and distributes more than 4,000 donated eye tissues for sight-saving transplants, research, and education. This vital work would not be possible without the courage of families like Magnus’.

Photo of Tiffany's family

In Ontario, the need for registered organ and tissue donors remains critical – there is a shortage of donated tissue available. A single decision can make an enormous difference in the life of a transplant recipient.

For Magnus’ family, donating his eyes was an act of healing and hope that gave them a sense of purpose and closure. They know that a part of him lives on.

The Eye Bank of Canada honours the legacy of donors like Magnus and the lives transformed by their generosity. Tiffany hopes that others will be inspired by her son’s story, and “spread wildfires of kindness.”

“I hope that wherever Magnus is now, he can finally see – with clarity – all the good that he imparted on this world.”

Ontarians can help transform the life of someone suffering from eye disease and give the gift of sight by registering to be a donor at beadonor.ca.