Trista and Kyle Smith

When Trista Smith lost her husband, Kyle, he became a tissue donor, sharing life-altering gifts with his recipients. A couple years later, Trista passed away and became an organ, eye and tissue donor herself, leaving behind her and Kyle’s three young children. Trista’s parents, Mary and Tex Benjamin, are now raising their grandchildren.

“I don’t know how I would have gotten through all this without them,” said Mary. “They’re what keeps me going.”

Mary and Tex remember their daughter and son-in-law as great, devoted parents who positively impacted so many people around them.

“I know they’re missed by so many people,” said Mary. “They touched our whole community.”

The family honors Trista’s and Kyle’s memory by presenting memorial scholarships and awards to local high school graduates and 4-H participants.

Although each loss has been painful for them, Mary and Tex are proud of Trista and Kyle for their selfless decisions to become donors.

“To know that because of them, somebody else got to have their life — that’s just incredible,” said Mary.

“If more people would help by being a donor, it would help our world, because there’s always somebody in need,” said Tex.