Elana Franks never expected to be a hero to so many people when she woke up Tuesday morning and prepared to get into school mode at Calvary Baptist Academy after the Christmas holidays.
Due to a traffic accident on Tuesday that left her with no hope of recovery, the 17-year-old Calvary softball state champion was honored Wednesday evening with a Hero’s Walk at Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport. Doctors, nurses, administrators, family and friends lined up en masse down a hallway at the hospital saluting the teenager’s decision to give as only someone in her position can give, by being an organ donor.
That ceremony came at midnight and followed a candlelight service just east of the entrance to the hospital where a donor flag was raised in Franks’ honor. Her mother, Lisa, had a heart wrenching announcement.
“Before we came out here, I found out they have a recipient for Elana’s heart,” Lisa Franks said. “So, she’s gonna take her big ass heart and she’s gonna give it to somebody who will keep living. And hopefully they will take that heart and do the same thing that she did.”