Heart of teenager Skylar Marion killed in hit and run saves life of his best friend after organ tran

Teenager killed in hit and run saves his best friend's life by donating his heart in organ transplant

  • Skylar Marion, 15, was left in a coma after he was struck by a Ford SUV
  • His best friend Kyle Wilkerson, also 15, was on a heart transplant waiting list
  • Skylar's heart was donated to Kyle who has now had a successful transplant
  • Police are looking for the driver of the hit and run in Pasadena, Baltimore

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A teenager killed in a hit and run crash has saved his best friend's life by donating his heart in a successful transplant operation.

Skylar Marion, 15, was left in a coma after he was ran over by a driver who then fled the scene just a quarter-mile from his home in Pasadena, Baltimore, in April.

His father Mike Marion made the heart-breaking decision to turn off his life-support after discovering his son's best friend Kyle Wilkerson needed a heart transplant.

Skylar Marion donated his heart to his friend Kyle Wilkerson Kyle Wilkerson, right, received his friend Skylar Marion's heart

Skylar Marion, 15, left, saved his friend Kyle Wilkerson's, right, life after his heart was donated 

Skylar died after a hit and run driver knocked him off his bike and his father is owe appealing for information

Skylar died after a hit and run driver knocked him off his bike and his father is owe appealing for information

Kyle suffers from the potentially fatal condition genetic idiopathic cardiomyopathy (DCM) which causes the heart to become weakened and enlarged so it cannot pump blood efficiently. The decreased heart function can affect the lungs, liver, and other body systems.

Kyle had been in hospital since February but was low down on the heart transplant list. When Mr Marion heard of Kyle's plight, he decided to see if his son's organs could help save him.

Incredibly, despite a 30,000 to one chance, the two boys proved to be a match.

Kyle's mother Denise Wilkerson told the Baltimore Sun she is grateful her son will survive but getting the organ through the death of another teenager was 'bittersweet'.

She said: 'It's hard to get a 15-year-old to understand that it's God's plan. No one should die like that.'

Three other people received vital organs from Skylar, while another person will be able to see again with the gift of Skylar's eyes.

Meanwhile Arundel County police are still trying to track down the hit and run driver who knocked down the teenager on April 12.

Denise Wilkerson said she will try to help support the Marion family Mike Marion

Mike Marion, right, made the heart-breaking decision to turn off his son's life support after hearing that Skylar's friend Kyle needed a heart transplant. Kyle's mother Denise, right, said she will support the Marion family 

The families have been jointly fundraising to put up a reward to catch the hit and run driver

The families have been jointly fundraising to put up a reward to catch the hit and run driver

Skylar had left his house with two friends to go to a nearby store when he was struck by a dark-coloured Ford Expedition, 1997 to 2002, which suffered damage to the hood and passenger side in the impact.

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Skylar's twin Zachary and his brother Sam, 14, have joined their father in appealing for members of the public to come forward.

Mr Marion said: 'He didn't even have a chance to fight. The person who hit him is just a coward. They're living, they're breathing, they're worried about turning themselves in. Take responsibility. Give Skylar some peace.'

Mountain Road where Skylar was killed has numerous accidents every year because of the lack of any pavements. More than 20 people have been killed along the 11-mile roadway since the early 1990s, many of them in their teens.

Skylar's family are now trying to get this changed. 

Skylar was in a coma after being hit by a dark coloured Ford Expedition on Mountain Road

Skylar was in a coma after being hit by a dark coloured Ford Expedition on Mountain Road

Accident hotspot: More than 20 people have been killed since the 1990s on Mountain Road in Pasadena where Skylar was hit. Locals are now campaigning for pavements to be built on the sides of the road

Accident hotspot: More than 20 people have been killed since the 1990s on Mountain Road in Pasadena where Skylar was hit. Locals are now campaigning for pavements to be built on the sides of the road

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