Reno Mahe, the running backs coach at Brigham Young University, and his wife have stated that because their daughter’s health condition is declining, they have decided to donate her organs to save others. Elsie Mahe, one of the seven children of Reno Mahe and his wife, Sunny, had to be taken to the hospital last week after a tragic accident. The girl is only three-years-old.
Elsie Mahe was found tangled in the cords of windows blinds at the family’s Utah home last Tuesday. On that day, Sunny Mahe, a former BYU volleyball star, was also watching her neighbor’s kids. The Mahe family’s friends daughter found Elsie. The girl ran to Sunny to let her know something was wrong with Elsie, the 3-year-old girl.
Sunny Mahe performed CPR but could not know how much time was her daughter in that state, without oxygen. The little girl was life-flighted to the Salt Lake City hospital from the family’s home.
In a recent update on the Mahe’s GoFundMe page, the family stated that Elsie is not getting any better. She suffered severe brain damage and her body is currently struggling to breathe on its own and to perform other essential functions.
The family stated that the miracle they have been waiting is not for her daughter. Instead, the Mahes have decided that Elsie will be somebody’s miracle, said the family Sunday. Reno and Sunny Mahe announced they recently met with a representative from the hospital organ donation team. In the update, the Mahes said that it is not the miracle they were waiting for but accepted it as the one they got.
Elsie is comfortable and not in pain, stated the Mahe family, adding that they will stay by her side. The family does not know how long will the process take and thanked for prayers and support. Reno and Sunny said many people had given them strength.
“The miraculous healing we have been praying for is not FOR Elsie, but FROM Elsie. We met this morning with a representative from the hospital organ donation team and feel confident that this is the Lord’s will for Elsie – to be a life-saving miracle for others. It is not the miracle that we wanted, but it is the one we got. It is still a miracle,” wrote the Mahe family.
The tragic accident that has moved the BYU community
After Sunny saw her daughter unconscious, she started CPR compressions and sent her son Tank for help. Sunny explained that on that day many miracles took place. Her neighbor was running late for work. The family is religious, and Sunny was happy that her neighbor was a member of her temple who had consecrated oil to give her a priesthood blessing.
The other miracle, according to Elsie’s mother, was that the first responders that were assigned to help her were three minutes from her Utah home, at Cabela’s.
The three-year-old girl was intubated and placed on a respirator. An MRI showed that the lack of oxygen caused extensive damage to her brain. It is unknown how much time Elsie was without oxygen. Her condition has been deteriorating since last Tuesday.
The NCAA community, with Utah State and BYU fans, wore pink shirts to the Saturday game because it is Elsie’s favorite color. BYU running back Jamaal Williams gave coach Reno Mahe a game ball in an emotional experience, reports Fox13.
Also last week, the BYU women’s basketball team wrote on their wrists the initials “EM” to show support for Elsie Mahe.
Source: Help the Mahe Family