Photo Courtesy Alaina Evans/Walter Family

By Gates Guarin

‘A selfless gift’: Redcliff family makes courageous decision to donate son’s organs

Aug 29, 2022 | 3:51 PM

REDCLIFF, AB – Beau Walter can easily be described as a man with a big heart who gave even bigger hugs. Always known for having a smile on his face, those closest to Beau say he was a selfless person.

Beau grew up in the Pincher Creek area with his parents and younger brother, Brody. The family moved to Redcliff shortly after Beau’s graduation.

The word passionate comes up often when people talk about Beau. He’s described as someone who was passionate about baseball and had a quick wit about him. He also loved to wake his family and friends up with an early morning Snapchat sing-along. Another passion was his prized possession: his truck, which he named Ruby.

Krista Smith, a family friend of the Walters, says Beau lived his life to the fullest every single day.

SMILE SUNDAYS

'We're all one': Hatters bond over classic muscle car

Sep 15, 2024

RECAP

Week in review: Trap-neuter-release, Highway 3 twinning

Sep 14, 2024

WHAT'S ON

Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat and area: Sept. 13-15

Sep 13, 2024

“He was up for any adventure,” Smith says. “Anybody that knows him knows that. And that’s the good thing, is that he really took every day like it was his last I guess, and enjoyed every moment he could with his friends and family.”

Beau had been working out of town in Stettler. On Aug. 18, he and a friend decided to use one of their days off to relax and drive out to a lake in the area. While travelling on a dirt road, their vehicle lost control. Beau was critically injured, and tragically succumbed to his injuries two days later.

“It’s heartbreaking for this family,” Smith says. “He meant so much to this family and everyone that knew him, so it is pretty hard to understand how this could’ve even happened to a 22-year-old man who had so much life ahead of him.”

In the wake of the darkest times of their lives, Beau’s family made the courageous decision to donate his organs and tissue in the hopes it will save and change several people’s lives.

Organs will be donated in (Beau’s) honour… _{Krista Smith, family friend}

“They’re a very selfless family. Through all this devastation, they put their grief aside to help others,” Smith says.

Beau’s donations will be given to the Human & Organ Procurement and Exchange (HOPE) program, which specializes in organ donation and works with those who are awaiting a life-altering transplant.

Dr. Dennis Djogovic, program medical director, says while close to 3,000 organs transplants occur every year in Canada, close to 4,000 are currently on the waiting list. Djogovic says he meets families on their worst days, but adds every single donation they are able to receive goes a long way.

“An impact that goes beyond that day, an impact that lasts for years and years down the road. They change lives, they change families, they change communities, and I think that is such a selfless gift and such a valuable thing to provide.”

Beau’s sacrifice has encouraged many of his family and friends to sign up and become donors, which Djogovic says is an important conversation to have with those around you.

“There’s a few ways in Alberta you can express your interest in being an organ donor should that situation come up,” Djogovic says. “One is an online registry that you can register for…The other way is often through registry offices where you can get it on your driver’s licence to identify as your interest.”

Now, Beau’s big heart will continue to live on in another, and he will continue to make an impact in others, just as he did with his time on Earth. His family hopes to one day meet the families which received Beau’s gifts.

“Years to come, organs will be donated in his honour,” Smith says.

“I’m sure he’s looking down proud now.”