Charlie Stevens: The heartbreaking bittersweet gift left by SA police commissioner’s son after he was killed at Schoolies
An organ donor has written a powerful letter to a senior police officer and his wife, thanking them for the second chance at life the couple was given after agreeing to donate their son’s organs.
Charlie Stevens, 18, the son of South Australia Police Chief Grant Stevens, was waiting with friends for a bus to the Schoolies celebrations when he was hit by a car driven by Dhirren Randhawa in Goolwa, south of Adelaide, on November 17 last year.
Charlie was airlifted to Flinders Medical Centre but died the next day surrounded by his family from severe brain injuries.
The apprentice craftsman’s legacy lives on after his parents honored their youngest child’s wish to become an organ donor, extending the lives of seven people.
Eight months later, Commissioner Stevens and his wife Emma have already received letters from three donors and read parts of one of them on Channel Seven’s Sunrise programme on Monday.
“In many ways, I have been given the gift of life again, the chance to look into the future and see my children go to school, achieve milestones, and perhaps even get married,” the letter reads.
“This is what your family gave me.”
Commissioner Stevens admitted the letters were difficult to read but wonderful to receive.
Charlie Stevens’ last act before he died last November extended the lives of seven Australians
‘Difficult to “But knowing the impact Charlie has had gives us a sense of comfort,” he said.
For his grieving parents, it was an easy decision to respect Charlie’s wishes, even though they were unaware that he had registered as a donor on his driver’s license.
“Charlie, he wanted to do that. So we just thought Charlie would stay with us a little bit longer,” said an emotional Mrs. Stevens as she fought back tears.
Her husband added: ‘We never imagined that when Charlie checked that box that we would be in a situation where our family would have to validate his decision.
“It made it so much easier to know that that was what Charlie wanted,”
Only 36 percent of Australians are registered as organ donors. Commissioner Stevens and his family want to change that.
“We never thought that when Charlie checked that box, our family would have to confirm his decision (about organ donation). It made it a lot easier to know that that’s what Charlie wanted,” Chief Stevens said.
Charlie’s parents have no idea that their youngest child was a registered organ donor
Eight months later, South African police chief Grant Stevens and his wife Emma are still struggling with their unimaginable loss
Rhandhawa was initially charged with causing death by dangerous driving, driving under duress without due care, leaving the scene of an accident after death and failing to answer questions.
However, in a plea agreement, he admitted driving under adverse conditions without due care and leaving the scene of an accident.
He will appear in court later this month for his sentence.