Memorial Health hosts honor walk for Whitemarsh Island stabbing victim

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - 18-year-old JT Schroeder’s family and Memorial Health staff held a very emotional honor walk Friday.

Schroeder died from his injuries Monday after being stabbed at the Walmart off of Highway 80.

Memorial Health’s staff lined the walls from the ICU to the operating room, as JT’s doctors and family said their final goodbyes.

JT decided to become an organ donor and will save many lives.

“The ability to donate is huge, and it’s just not one for one,” said James Dunne, Chief of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care at Memorial Health. “So an individual just doesn’t donate one organ. Multiple people can be saved.”

Their lives can be saved from that one tragic accident that happened.

Before the ceremony, Dr. Dunne said there are over 3,000 people on the transplant list in Georgia all hoping to one day be a match.

“There are a lot of people waiting for organs for life-saving procedures, whether it be kidneys or heart transplants or lung transplants,” said Dunne. “And all it takes is just a simple checking a box on your driver’s license.”

Chief Dunne wanted to leave the Savannah community with a message:

“Although loosing JT was devasting, let this bring light to becoming an organ donor,” said Dunne. “So if there’s one message I want to communicate to the community is, please consider that. We don’t get, as individuals, get a chance to save someone’s life. But this is one way in which we all can save multiple lives.”