SATELLITE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A 12-year-old girl donated her organs on Christmas Day, three days after she was struck by a vehicle while crossing State Road A1A in central Florida, according to her father.
Mark Nelson told Florida Today that Sophia Nelson helped save the lives of four children by donating her organs.
Employees at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando paid tribute to Sophia during an organ donor “honor walk” on her way to the surgical ward, Nelson said. The attendees listened to a recording of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"during the ceremony.
"Every Christmas when I hear that song, I'll remember my angel saving four other lives with her last act," he said.
Sophia was a sixth grader at Surfside Elementary in Satellite Beach.
The crash happened Sunday afternoon as the girl was crossing the road in a mid-block crosswalk, police said.
Nelson said his daughter pressed the button and activated the lights, waited for several cars to pass, then stepped into the crosswalk during a "long gap" before the next car. But the oncoming vehicle did not stop and struck her, he said.
They were returning home from the beach with her grandfather, Andy, and dog, Coal, to wrap Christmas presents and prepare for a holiday party.
