Team Member Passes Away

[Rick Thornbro]

On behalf of the ThunderChickens, 217, let me express our deepest sympathy to the your team and to his family.

[rourke]

One of the amazing things that came out of this tragedy is that Kevin was able to give life to SEVEN other people!!! Kevin donated his vital organs to others in need. His heart was a perfect match for a middle-aged man on the verge of death. His lungs went to a teenager with cystic fibrosis. His kidneys went to two other people who can now enjoy life free from dialysis. His liver was sectioned and two other people received life-saving transplants. And his pancreas went to someone with chronic, life-threatening diabetes.

In death, Kevin gave life to many!

Kevin’s dad has asked to join the team as we travel to the championship in Atlanta – to finish what Kevin started. Team 1114 GM Simbotics has proudly offered to bring him along as our newest mentor. In memory of Kevin…..

[Holtzman]

Kevin's Funeral was this morning. It was well attended by hundreds of friends, family, teachers, and teammates. His family is dealing with this tragedy with courage. They are grateful for all the support that the CD community has provided.

Thank you

[roboguy #1]

So, what happened its terribly sad, but he must have been extremely kind in his loss of live he gave others their lives.

[FEFD119Capt]

14-year-old Virgil boy dies a hero: Kevin requests organs be given to others

Penny Coles
Local News - Saturday, March 12, 2005 @ 12:00


Kevin Heins loved all sports, but he had a real passion for baseball.

Photo: Staff
A loving, helpful son and talented athlete in life, Kevin Heins has become a hero in death, saving other children by donating his organs.

Family friend Brenda Clark, speaking for parents Elenor and Gene Heins, says the organ donation was a request from Kevin himself, who was conscious Monday, but seemed to sense he was near death after a skiddoo accident Sunday caused extensive brain damage. He told Gene he would like to donate all his organs, and his parents gave their consent.

The 14-year-old was injured while the Heins were visiting some friends near Hamilton. He was preparing to go for his first solo skiddoo ride, reached behind him for a helmet, and as he turned, he accidentally pulled on the throttle, and the skiddoo lurched out of control, hitting a tree.

Kevin was rushed by ambulance to hospital in Hamilton, where he was operated on Monday, and for a time his family thought he would recover. But the brain damage was too severe, and he began to hemorrhage. He died Monday with his parents, brother, two sisters and grandparents around him.

“He loved his mother so much, and he had the biggest heart in the world. His mother is really grateful that his heart was given to someone else,” said Clark.

The family heard Thursday that his heart has saved the life of a dying 14-year-old boy, and that a total of seven transplant operations had been completed at Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto, thanks to Kevin.

The Heins were told that a plaque and letter recognizing Kevin’s courageous decision would be sent from the hospital in time for his funeral Saturday. It is the first time that seven children have received organs from one person at Sick Children’s, the family was told.

Kevin, who graduated from Virgil Public School, was in Grade 9 at Governor Simcoe Secondary School, which he had chosen because of the large selection of sports it offers.

He was a talented basketball and volleyball player, but baseball was his passion, says Clark.

He started off playing with the NOTL Minor Softball Association, but soon moved to an all-star St. Catharines league where he could play hardball.

Since 1999, he had also been a batboy for the Brock University softball team, and at a Brock game met a scout who encouraged him to think about baseball as a career.

The scout is flying up from Florida for Kevin’s funeral Saturday morning at Orchard Park Church, she added.

Clark, who has four children in the same age range as the Heins family, says she and her husband Randy have coached with Gene, and coached Kevin for a time.

“He was a fantastic ball player, an amazing pitcher, and he was great on second base,” she said.

He was to be buried at what is being called “a baseball funeral,” in a white casket, which was to be signed by anyone who wished to during the visitation at the church Friday evening.

There were also two large baseball cards to sign, she says, one to display permanently at the Brock University games, and the other to be given to his parents to keep.

Some of his friends and fellow teammates were planning on being pallbearers, along with Mike Bolibruck, the physical education teacher at Virgil who coached Kevin in basketball and volleyball.

It was typical of Kevin, Clark said, that even though he had graduated from Virgil, he came back to help out at games, keeping score for his former coach.

“He liked to help others, and he was always very respectful,” she said.

He was popular with other kids, she added. “His sisters adored him.

“And he was always smiling. That’s how he’ll be remembered–a smile on his face, his baseball cap on backwards, and his shoes untied and flopping around.”

A Kevin Heins Family Trust, account #6210959, has been set up at Niagara Credit Union, by Elenor’s co-workers, to help with funeral expenses. Donations can be made at any branch, or through the Hulse and English Funeral Home and Chapel.


Kevin leaves his father Gene, mother Elenor, brother Jamie, and twin sisters Jennifer and Nicole.