Todd Sato was born on April 15, 1980, with a congenital heart defect known commonly as “Blue Baby.” For months he took medication to keep his heart values open. But after 11 months, doctors found that his values were closing and they needed to operate. Todd remained in relatively good health until his senior year in high school, when it was determined that he would need a heart transplant.
On July 10, 1998, Todd received a new heart that lasted for 10 years. When Todd heard that he needed a second transplant, he looked forward to being on the list for a new heart. In late June 2009, Todd and his mother had just come back from shopping and were watching TV when Todd suddenly collapsed. His heart could beat no longer. Todd passed away on June 27, 2009, at the age of 29.
Todd was passionate about organ and tissue donation. At the time of his passing, he was able to donate his corneas and tissue, allowing him to give the gift of life as someone had given to him.
According to his mother, Todd was a very loving and caring person. He loved to do volunteer work and worked closely with a number of community organizations including Ties that Blind, Intercollegiate Nikkei Council, Chinatown Service Center and JACL Health Forums in the Little Tokyo Center. He was also very active in the Gardena Valley Baptist Church, where he was a student counselor. In addition, as a Donate Life Ambassador for OneLegacy, Todd spoke to various organizations about donation and transplantation.
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