Fallen Officer's Parents Attend Organ Donor Awareness Event

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – April is Organ Donor Awareness Month. Today, people gathered at the Allegheny Courtyard Marriott to talk about the importance of organ donors.

Among the crowd were parents of fallen Pittsburgh Police Officer Paul Sciullo II.

The light shining from the candles represented the gift given of life given by so many as Allegheny General Hospital celebrates and honors organ donations.

The flag may be small, but as it was raised at Allegheny General Hospital the message powerful.

"You know, we take for granted every day the fact that our heart beats, our lungs expand, our pancreas work," Ron Andro with Allegheny General Hospital said.

To recognize National Donate Month, a candle was lit for the donors of 2013 who gave the gift of life, as their first names were read.

"It's the most intimate thing you can give somebody," Chelsei Sobecki with the Center For Organ Recovery And Education said.

Paul Sciullo's parents were among the honored guests and lit the candles during the ceremony.

"We lost a son, but we gained a family with the Pittsburgh Police," Sciullo's father said. "Because of Paul, my wife and I both became organ donors."

"He was an organ donor and losing his life, he still was able to give back to the community," Pittsburgh Police Cmdr. Scott Schubert said.

Sciullo's picture adorns a quilt, joining others, who are recognized for their amazing donation.

"I've seen families that just cling to this and know that even though they lost their loved one, somebody gets to live on because of them," Sobecki said. "They risk their lives day in and day out and yet at the end of life, he was still willing to give,"

The need is large too as across the state of Pennsylvania there are currently 8,000 people waiting for transplants.

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