[Trigger Warning]
15-year-old Celina Rose Minsk was your common teenager. Her mom, Mayda, explains:
She liked her buddies, she liked Jesus, and he or she was actually concerned in our church. She volunteered quite a bit. She was enjoyable, pleased, and everybody liked her. She was such a pleasure.
Celina had been recognized with a extreme tree nut allergy when she was younger, and her mother and father had been vigilant, taking pains to make sure she prevented contact along with her allergen.
As we reported on the time, someday in February 2023, Celina spent the day procuring along with her mother. That night, her father introduced dwelling a bag of cookies marked “Gluten-Free, Nut-Free” from a church group assembly.
Sadly, the bag was mislabeled. After one chew of a cookie, Celina’s throat started to shut.
Her mother recalled:
I known as 911, however the ambulance took about 20 minutes to get there. The primary group wasn’t licensed to intubate her, so we needed to wait even longer. As soon as your throat begins closing, the epinephrine doesn’t assist. That you must get a tube down there earlier than it’s fully closed. They lastly put her in an ambulance, however shortly after, they misplaced her heartbeat. I regarded again and I noticed them surrounding her, doing compressions. By the point we obtained to the hospital, that they had a heartbeat again, however she had misplaced oxygen to her mind.
Celina’s prolonged household got here to help the Minsks. Her Aunt Mary had the sensation her niece had slipped away on the way in which to the hospital:
I knew she was gone. I can’t clarify it, however after we drove behind the ambulance, I felt her go away.
Mary approached a nurse and requested if they might donate Celina’s organs. The nurse responded: “It’s humorous you ask me that as a result of I wasn’t certain strategy it along with your brother and sister-in-law.” Mary mentioned she would deal with it.
On February 22, 2023, Celine was formally pronounced mind useless by docs on the hospital. At the moment, her mother and father made the choice to donate her organs.
Mentioned Mayda:
I’ve all the time been an organ donor, and it was a no brainer for me to say sure. If we mentioned no, what an final waste. I imagine in God, and that her spirit is with Him. It gave me some peace, figuring out that she’s a hero and that she saved folks, and I feel she would have needed to. She was so sort, truthfully.
Two months later, the household acquired a letter from HonorBridge — one among 57 federally designated organ procurement organizations within the US — detailing the lives Celina had helped with the donations.
Based on HonorBridge:
Her pancreas and left kidney gave new life to a person in his thirties, whereas her liver saved a grandmother in her fifties. A lady in her forties acquired her proper kidney, and her lungs and intestines had been recovered for analysis. Her corneas restored sight to somebody in want, and her bone grafts will assist heal numerous others. However maybe most poignantly, Celina’s coronary heart—the very image of her kindness and love—now beats on in one other teenage lady.
Mentioned Mary:
After we obtained that letter, our complete household was in awe. The truth of it’s simply so superb. In my private religion, I imagine that God can flip evil into good, and it’s like He took the worst-case state of affairs and made it one thing stunning.
A 12 months later, the household acquired a letter from Kristie Poore, the mom of the recipient of Celina’s coronary heart. She mentioned that with out Celina’s reward, her daughter Haley wouldn’t have survived one other month.
Mayda described receiving the observe this fashion:
It was like a weight had been lifted, figuring out that her coronary heart was nonetheless beating. It undoubtedly gave me peace. This example felt so particular, as a result of Haley and Celina have a lot in frequent. Haley loves to bop, they each love hair and make-up, they’re each teenage ladies. They even look alike.
The households linked over social media and made plans to satisfy. On the weekend of February 21, 2025, Haley’s household met Celina’s at their dwelling in Fuquay-Varina, NC.
Mentioned Mayda:
Assembly Haley was superb. It was fascinating, listening to their perspective. I put myself of their sneakers for a second, if it was Celina needing a coronary heart. I can’t even think about the powerlessness they should have felt.
Mayda was in a position to hear Celina’s coronary heart beating in Haley, who not too long ago celebrated her sixteenth birthday and is now thriving with out issues.
Mentioned Mayda:
Celina saved 5 lives and healed many others, and that’s simply superb. Perspective is de facto all the things. With out organ and tissue donation, all of these folks can be gone. Children may very well be rising up with out mother and father, or mother and father may very well be rising up with out children. And Celina performed a component in making their lives higher.
Added Mary:
Understanding what we all know now, and figuring out how stunning Haley is, and the way a lot our household loves her, it takes away the sting. It’s like while you’ve been stung by a bee, and it feels such as you’re being jabbed by a protracted, skinny needle. You’re in ache, and it burns, however then somebody comes and takes the sting away—after which it’s simply aid.
Here’s a information report from WTVD-TV detailing Celina’s story:
As soon as once more, we at SnackSafely.com provide our deepest, heartfelt condolences to the Minsk household for the lack of Celina. We’re grateful they’re taking solace within the great reward of life she has given others.
Please by no means belief unpackaged meals until exactly the way it was made. Make sure to all the time carry two emergency epinephrine units with you and administer the primary while you first suspect anaphylaxis.
