Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Add Upworthy to your Google News feed.
Google News Button

Kathleen Thorson had a beautiful life—a loving husband, Jesse, and four cherished children, including their newborn son, Teddy. But just days after welcoming her baby, Kathleen suffered a devastating brain hemorrhage. Despite every medical effort, she would not recover. Instead of focusing on her own tragedy, Kathleen chose to leave behind a powerful legacy: donating 12 of her organs to those in desperate need.

Kathleen’s extraordinary act of generosity was nearly unheard of. Organ donations of this magnitude are incredibly rare, making her final gift even more remarkable. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to support Jesse and their children—Danny, Grace, James, and Teddy—helping them navigate life without her.


A sudden tragedy, followed by an incredible gift

Just five days after giving birth, Kathleen suffered a catastrophic intracerebral hemorrhage. Doctors did everything they could—performing multiple surgeries—but it became clear that she would not survive. Even in her final moments, her focus remained on others.

"We love her, and we will miss her with every breath we take."

— Richard Stubbs

Then, the news came: Kathleen was a viable donor for all 12 of her organs—a rare occurrence.

"The chances that someone is a candidate of this magnitude is less than 1 in a million."

— Richard Stubbs

Kathleen’s selflessness meant that nearly a dozen individuals waiting for life-saving transplants would now have a second chance at life.

Honoring Kathleen’s memory

Kathleen’s story touched thousands, including actress Kristen Bell, who shared her admiration for Kathleen’s selflessness on Instagram. She also announced that her baby line, HelloBello, would be donating a year’s supply of diapers and wipes to help Jesse and the children.

"Before she passed earlier this month, Kathleen said she wanted to save as many lives as possible and donated an almost unheard of 12 organs, including her heart and lungs," Bell wrote. "Jesse—our thoughts are with your family during this unimaginably difficult time. Sending peace and love your way."

Through the generosity of strangers, the Thorson family’s GoFundMe campaign far surpassed its original $50,000 goal, raising $130,385 before donations closed. The additional funds will help cover medical bills, funeral costs, and give Jesse the ability to focus on his children.

"Every little bit extra will help Jesse pay off bills and work toward the dreams he and Kathleen had."

— Richard Stubbs

Stubbs shared that any extra money would go toward one of Kathleen’s dreams—a beautiful garden in the family's backyard. This space was meant to be a place where Kathleen could teach her children about her love of gardening, host gatherings with friends, and embrace her "hobbit dreams." While she won't be there physically, her spirit will undoubtedly live on in every flower that blooms.

A lasting impact

Kathleen Thorson’s final act of generosity was nothing short of heroic. She gave the ultimate gift—the chance for others to live. Her story is a reminder of the incredible impact one person can have, even in the face of tragedy.

More For You

Quick-thinking bartender’s secret note saves women from creepy guy at Florida bar

Sometimes the person behind the bar is has more to offer than just drinks.

Representative image by Canva

Quick-thinking bartender’s secret note saves women from creepy guy at Florida bar

A bartender in Florida is earning widespread praise after his quick thinking helped protect two women from an aggressive man at his bar. Trinity Allie shared the experience on Twitter, highlighting how bartender Max Gutierrez subtly intervened when he noticed a stranger persistently harassing her and her friend.

Posting a photo of Gutierrez holding a small clipboard, Allie wrote:

Keep ReadingShow less
Kathleen Thorson, her husband, and four children in the hospital.

Having ushered four lives into the world, Kathleen then made a choice that would save 12 more.

GoFundMe

After welcoming her newborn, this mom's final act of love saved 12 lives

Kathleen Thorson had a beautiful life—a loving husband, Jesse, and four cherished children, including their newborn son, Teddy. But just days after welcoming her baby, Kathleen suffered a devastating brain hemorrhage. Despite every medical effort, she would not recover. Instead of focusing on her own tragedy, Kathleen chose to leave behind a powerful legacy: donating 12 of her organs to those in desperate need.

Kathleen’s extraordinary act of generosity was nearly unheard of. Organ donations of this magnitude are incredibly rare, making her final gift even more remarkable. A GoFundMe campaign was launched to support Jesse and their children—Danny, Grace, James, and Teddy—helping them navigate life without her.

Keep ReadingShow less

Waitress who kicked out CEO for racist attack on Asian family receives $70,000 in tips

A waitress at the Lucia Restaurant in Carmel Valley, California, has received over $90,000 in tips from people hailing her as an "everyday hero." Jennica Cochran jumped to an Asian American family's defense and kicked a man out of the restaurant after he berated the family with a racist rant.Video of the incident, recorded by family member Jordan Chan, went viral. Chan told KION that her family was celebrating her aunt's birthday on July 4th, 2019, when a man at another table began making racist remarks.

“We were singing Happy Birthday. We were just taking pictures and goofing around with each other, and then all of a sudden, the man, Michael Lofthouse, starts making really loud racist remarks at us,” Chan said. That's when Chan began recording.“Trump’s gonna f*** you,” the man can be heard saying in the video. “You f****** need to leave! You f****** Asian piece of s***!”

Keep ReadingShow less
Hero son

Quick-thinking saves mom

Canva

Hero son saves his sunbathing mom from death with a split-second warning

Shocking footage taken in Alpharetta, Georgia recently shows a mother relaxing by a pool while her two sons play in the water. The scene quickly changes from fun to frightening when one son warns her about a tree about to fall on her.

"I was sitting at the pool relaxing and reading a book while watching my two sons swim, when I heard a tree cracking and then my son yelled 'Run mom!' so I bolted out of my chair right before a huge tree fell right on the chair I was sitting on," the mother said, according to Viral Hog.

Keep ReadingShow less
Betty White on the set of her 1950s show.

Betty White was an icon of American Television had played a role in changing it forever.

CBS Television, Public domain

Betty White was warned her show would be canceled—she took a stand anyway

Everyone knows Betty White as a national treasure—a woman whose wit, charm, and comedic timing made her beloved for generations. But beyond her delightful personality, she was also a woman of principle. When it came to the things that truly mattered, she didn’t just entertain—she took a stand.

That was never more evident than in the 1950s when she refused to remove a Black tap dancer, Arthur Duncan, from The Betty White Show, despite racist backlash. At a time when segregation was still deeply entrenched, White was pressured to drop Duncan. Her response?

Keep ReadingShow less