Buda teen saves lives after death

Buda, Texas (KXAN) - A 15-year-old Hays High School student, killed while trying to cross a busy highway in Lockhart on June 21, is helping save many lives through organ donation.

"We do have a peace, knowing where he is and knowing he's with Jesus," said his mother, Rebecca Norris.

Jackson Norris was with a group of his friends skateboarding that Tuesday afternoon. As they were returning back to one of Jackson's friend's family-owned-business, they first had to cross busy U.S. Highway 183 in Lockhart. The other teens made it across safely, but Jackson did not.

"There was a commercial truck obstructing the view so the driver didn't see Jackson and Jackson didn't see the driver, so it was immediate. A massive head injury," Rebecca said.

Jackson was airlifted to Dell Children's Medical Center in Austin . The next day he passed away, with his parents by his side.

"We took him off life support around 9:30 when we did the donor paperwork," Rebecca said. "When we woke up Thursday morning, we had a message from the donor association, that he had saved seven lives the previous night."

Medical staff told the Norris family that Jackson's bone, tissue and blood could potentially help give 150 other people hope.

"We do hope that the recipients will send a letter and know how there lives were affected. We would love to meet them some day," Rebecca said as tears rolled down her cheek. "Whoever has his heart, we would love to meet because he was so loving, and kind and generous, and happy and funny. And whoever has his heart, they're very blessed, very blessed."

"He loved skateboarding. He did it everyday," she said. "Apparently the city of Buda has approved to have a bench with a plaque on it, in honor of him at the new skateboard park that will be built next year."

She continued, "We didn't do a burial, we chose not to, but that would be a place that we would visit frequently. That would bring some joy."

"All the people that we've talked to and all the stories they've shared with us, it's just amazing how much he's been a positive influence to so many different lives. He was only 15, but he did a lot in his 15 years," said his father, Anthony Norris, who also works for the Austin Police Department.

Jackson's room is still filled with everything he cherished most, books neatly lined in bookshelves and signs and posters hung up in his room, one of which reads, 'Jackson Boulevard.'

"He loved to share joy. You could just see it in his eyes and on his face. He was a star," his mother said.

"He would put a sign on his shirt saying 'free hugs' and he would come home and talk about how he had 300 hugs, from girls, of course," she said. "The writings on his arms. The girls would just write 'We love you' and draw phone numbers. He was just our little Justin Bieber look alike. He was just the cutest kid ever."

The family said the younster always liked to help others. In his memory, his family's church, the Hays Hills Baptist Church at 1401 North FM, 1626 Buda, Texas, 78610, is accepting donations in his memory for the youth ministry scholarship fund. Money that will be set aside to help local high school students attend mission trips.