'My four-year-old donated his organs and his bowel saved another child's life'
A mum whose four-year-old son donated his organs after a tragic accident has become close friends with the family of the little girl who received his bowel in a life-saving operation.
Waylon Pietz, aged four, donated his heart, kidneys and bowel after a chest of drawers fell on him, leaving him on life support. His mum, Madison, 25, from Ontario, Canada, discovered that Bella Thomson, an 11-year-old 'influencer' living nearby, was undergoing a bowel transplant.
The personal support worker from Petrolia, Ontario, reached out to Bella's mum, Kyla, 40, on Facebook, and they realised that the bowel used in the transplant was Waylon's. The two families have since become good friends, and Madison has been able to see Bella living a "full and fun-packed" life, thanks to Waylon's donation.
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Waylon, who donated his organs, with his step-dad Andrew (Madison Loreli / SWNS)Madison said: "Waylon lives through Bella - it's very overwhelming. Elsewhere, his heart still beats in another child - I reached out to the other two organ recipients through letters on January 29. It's so rare to connect with any organ recipients, as legally the hospital can't immediately provide you with any details, so I feel very blessed."
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Waylon's heartbreaking accident happened on August 10, while he was being looked after at home. His mum, Madison, came home from work to find her little boy had been c rushed when a chest of drawers fell on him.
He was quickly taken to the ICU at University Hospital, Ontario, but after four days, doctors asked Madison to make a heartbreaking choice. Even though Waylon was still alive, doctors told Madison on August 14 that it was very unlikely he would wake up, and she needed to decide what to do next.
Lyle and Kyla Thomson with their children Waylon and Bella (Kyla Thomson / SWNS)
Bella Thomson, 11, has been living a full and fun-packed life, thanks to Waylons donation (Kyla Thomson / SWNS)She recalled: "He had a heartbeat - I wasn't expecting that. I was waiting for them to call 'time of death', like you'd see on TV. But his body was still alive - he was just neurologically deceased."
"Organ donation was something I had to decide there and then - Waylon was autistic and non-verbal - he couldn't make his own decisions, even before the accident. There was a lot of paperwork. You sign all these papers, and it's a long waiting process."
"They'll tell you the names and genders of the recipients - but the names have to be kept confidential for two years. There's a chance you'll never get to connect with your recipient family."
Bella, 11, has been able to live a full and fun-packed life, thanks to Waylons donation (Kyla Thomson / SWNS)In just three days, Waylon's organs were sent to recipients across Canada - including his bowel which went to Bella, who was at SickKids Hospital, Toronto. Bella, from Swift Current, Canada, had Hirschsprung's disease - a condition that affects the large colon and makes it hard for a person to digest food.
Bella also had severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and dwarfism, with Kyla told by doctors just a common could could prove fatal for her daughter. Kyla, a content creator, revealed: "Bella had a very harsh, very traumatic start to life. She spent two years in hospital without coming home.
"Within the first year alone, she had five bowel surgeries. But her immune system was so low, they couldn't continue. She was airlifted to so many hospitals, and eventually ended up at SickKids, where she was put on the bowel transplant list at seven years old. They told us she wouldn't survive the next five years."
Mum Kyla and dad Lyle with Bella while she was undergoing treatement (Kyla Thomson / SWNS)
Madison, 25, with her son Waylon, who donated his organs (Madison Loreli / SWNS)On August 17, 2023, Bella underwent a life-saving bowel transplant during a 20-hour operation, while Kyla and her husband Lyle Thomson, 37, agrologist, waited anxiously. Kyla decided to look through her Facebook messages - after documenting Bella's experience online.
She found she'd received a message from Madison, who told her she'd been following Bella's journey for months - and she thought she might be receiving Waylon's bowel. Madison said: "I'd been receiving letters from the anonymous recipient - I wouldn't usually just message a stranger on social media like this, but I felt an inexplicable connection. I told her I thought Bella might be receiving Waylon's bowel - as the family liaison lady told us bowel transplants are incredibly rare."
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Waylon Pietz donated his heart, kidneys and bowel after an accident at home left him on life support (Madison Loreli / SWNS)When Kyla saw the message from Madison, she instantly burst into tears, and the pair continued to stay in contact. Bella's transplant was a complete success, and six months later, Kyla says she's "thriving".
She said: "She used to need needle medication twice a day, and IV medication 20 times a day through her G-tube. Now, she takes five daily oral tablets - it's such a significant difference!
"I'm such a proud mum - she's absolutely thriving. We can take her on camping trips - something we've never been able to do because she spent her entire life in hospital."
They finally confirmed the donation by sending special stickers on the anonymised letters sent via the medical teams. Madison said: "I get to have this connection to Waylon, and I still watch Bella's videos all the time, and we text every day."
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