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Young Chilliwack mother donates five organs to save others following her sudden death

Celebration of Life for Shera Morgan who died of a brain aneurysm is set for Nov. 9 at Tzeachten Hall
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Shera Morgan is seen here with her three children Lucas (8), Wade (6) and Elena (4). Morgan suffered a brain aneurysm on Oct. 20 and died a few days later. She donated her organs — liver, kidneys, lungs and heart — to help save the lives of five people. (GoFundMe)

A mother of three young children has given the gift of life to five people following her sudden death last month.

Shera Morgan, 36, suffered a brain aneurysm on Oct. 20 and died a few days later at Royal Columbian Hospital.

“It comes with the heaviest of hearts that we share with you that our beloved Shera was not able to recover from the aneurysm that she suffered on Oct. 20, 2019,” the GoFundMe page reads. “Shera leaves behind her loving husband, three beautiful children and a network of family and friends that will forever remember the impact she had in all our worlds and everyone around her.”

Before she died, she made it known to her family that she wanted to donate her organs to others in need.

“We walked with Shera one final time, a short while ago, to the operating room where she will give her precious gift of life to five people,” Shera’s mother, Tracey Dungate, wrote on Facebook. “While we grieve, there are five families rejoicing. Shera gave her liver, kidneys, lungs and heart and saved five lives tonight. I’m so proud of my baby girl.”

Shera and her husband Cam Morgan own Morgan Kitchens & Custom Millwork, a local cabinet business, and have three young children, Lucas (8), Wade (6) and Elena (4).

A GoFundMe account was created on Oct. 21 while she was in the hospital. As of Thursday morning, nearly $20,000 has been raised for the young family.

She was “amazingly kind” and “mostly saw the good in people,” Dungate says. “If she knew a person and 90 per cent of that person was annoying or mistrustful, she remembered the 10 per cent that was good.”

Her aunt, Shelley Mohammed, describes Shera as “funny.”

“She found humour in almost every situation,” no matter how serious, she says.

Her family agrees she had the best laugh in the entire world and you always knew when Shera was in the room. She was always kind, caring and selfless.

Shera signed herself up to be an organ donor 20 years ago when she got her driver’s licence at the age of 16. She was following in the footsteps of her mom. Dungate had signed herself and her children up to be organ donors when Shera and her siblings were little. It stems from Dungate’s volunteer work with Canadian Blood Services years ago where a young Shera and her siblings would also help out.

Not only was Shera on the organ donor list, but her children are, too.

“It [signing up to be a donor] was more important to her than I realized,” Dungate says.

A memorial is now being planned for the young mother.

“Shera had always said she would have wanted ‘a big party’ so that’s the plan,” Dungate says.

Shera Morgan’s Celebration of Life is Saturday, Nov. 9 at 4 p.m. at Tzeachten Hall (45855 Promontory Rd.).

The event will start with a eulogy. Other family members and friends will speak, and then the floor will be open to those wishing to say a few words. A childhood friend will sing a song for Shera, there will be a slide show, and then balloons will be released. Following the balloons, the bar will open and there will be a live DJ and food.

In addition to her husband, children, mother and aunt, Shera leaves behind two younger sisters, Paige Dungate and Mandy Pennock, brother-in-law Alex, nieces Lillian, Jade, Olivia and Hunter, aunts Layne Wondga and Deena Mohammed, and cousins Kristopher, Jillian, Zane and Cohen.

Those wishing to donate to the Morgan family can do so at gofundme.com.

Shera was co-chair of the local chapter of the Alzheimer Society. In lieu of flowers people can also make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Society of B.C.


 

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jenna.hauck@theprogress.com

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Jenna Hauck

About the Author: Jenna Hauck

I started my career at The Chilliwack Progress in 2000 as a photojournalist.
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