Remembering September 11th and the strength of our mission

September 11, 2001, was a day of unimaginable loss for our nation, with nearly 3,000 lives taken in the terrorist attacks. Yet, amid the fear and uncertainty, hope emerged for one Houston family. Their six-month-old daughter, Kareena—gravely ill—received the ultimate gift: a life-saving liver transplant that gave her a second chance at life.

On what began as an ordinary Tuesday, a grieving Tennessee family made the selfless choice to donate their loved one’s organs. As tragedy gripped the nation and planes were grounded, the clock on a life-saving liver continued to tick. Yet, medical teams in Tennessee and Texas refused to give up, working tirelessly with the National Guard and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at the Nashville control tower to ensure the organ reached its destination hundreds of miles away.

Fortunately, a few courageous National Guard airmen answered the call of hope, risking their own safety on that tragic day to deliver the gift of life to a critically ill infant.

 “During that whole entire process, no one was willing to say, ‘We can’t or there’s no way.”

Jill Grandas, DCIDS CEO

Kareena received a life-saving gift that carried her through childhood and into college. Now, more than 20 years later, she reflects on the true weight of her journey.

“I cannot express how thankful I am for this life, especially on a day when so many people lost theirs,” said Kareena during a 2021 interview with ABC News.

Karina, pictured left in 2021, 20 years after receiving her lifesaving transplant during 9/11.

Today, Kareena aspires to a career in healthcare, determined to give back the same gift she once received, hope.

Watch the full story from ABC News here.