Florida family donates 11-year-old boy's organs after he was struck by car, declared brain dead
SUNNY ISLES BEACH, Fla. - A South Florida family is mourning the loss of their 11-year-old son, who died nearly two weeks after he was struck by a car while crossing the street.
WSVN reports that Anthony Reznik was hit by a car on Feb. 10 while he was in a crosswalk in Sunny Isles Beach, north of Miami.
The boy's mother, Inna Trakhtenburg, said her son was with his sister, Tatiana, and some friends when he was hit.
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"He wasn’t only my brother, he was my best friend and we were getting so close, so it really hurts to see this happen to him," Tatiana said.
Anthony was rushed to the hospital, but later declared brain dead just two months shy of his 12th birthday.
Anthony Reznik (Photo courtesy: Inna Trakhtenburg)
"Every single second, I was hoping that he would wake up," Trakhtenburg told the station. "It’s some kind of like a numbness. Like a feeling mixed with such a huge grief that I don’t know if it will ever heal."
His family, who stayed by his bedside for two weeks, decided to donate Anthony's organs as a way to give the gift of life to others in need.
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Trakhtenburg said they hope to find peace by knowing he will save lives.
"That gives me another chance to know that pieces of Anthony will walk on this earth and help others to grow and be happy," she said.