LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A grieving mother's loss is providing a gift of comfort and life to several families.
Kenneth Rhodes, II, 29, died on Nov. 11. It was a tragic loss for his family, but it also reminded them why he was a special young man.
Also known as KJ, Rhodes was rushed to the hospital after someone crashed into his car. He died several days later.
For Adria Johnson, it's a day that changed her life forever and one she will always remember.
"When I rounded the corner and saw him lying there. Yeah, not how you want to see anyone that you love," Johnson said. "So pretty traumatic."
Louisville Metro Police said a man in a stolen vehicle was speeding and high on drugs when he crashed into KJ's car at 2nd and Hill streets.
"And then, of course, we had the compounded heartache of learning that someone else was in the car with him and, you know, (we) had our suspicions that that someone else was his younger brother, who was killed on impact," said Johnson.
Rhodes' brother, Jalen Davis-Rhodes, died at the scene.
"And of course my son, you know, passed away nine days later," Johnson said.
While heartbroken and grief-stricken, she found comfort in a familiar face — a fellow Seneca High School classmate who had become a volunteer with Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) after she lost a child.
"I remember like, that moment when she motioned to me to come out and she showed me she had the paper that he, you know, a copy of his paperwork where he signed up," said Johnson.
As president and CEO of Metro United Way, service to others is part of Johnson's DNA, which was clearly passed down to her son KJ.
"And you know, the beauty in that is, he was able to bless others," she said.
He had blessed others by joining the organ donor registry more than 10 years earlier.
"To find out at the age of 18 that that is when he actually made the decision and follow through with becoming an organ donor just blew my mind," Johnson said.
It also helped save lives.
"And to know that we've got a 37-year-old male that is walking around with his heart, we have a 55-year-old and a 47-year-old, two women, that are now recipients of his kidneys," she said.
Crysta McGee, marketing and communications director for KODA, said it's a reminder for KJ's mother that he's still living on and has a legacy still there. She also said providing update letters is just part of the support they offer to donor families.
"Obviously, if Adria wants to meet those folks, then we would be happy to help her out," McGee said.
It's something Johnson said she would love to do. While she's still grieving, she's also hopeful.
"Romans 8:28 is one of my favorite verses, and it's all things work together for good," she said.
Now, she's focused on how the good in her son is giving life to others.
"To know that their lives are enriched is pretty incredible," she said.
For information about joining the organ donor registry, click here.
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