GEORGE NEWS - Somewhere in the country, a heart that once belonged to the 34-year-old Jason Morris from Pacaltsdorp is still beating - keeping another person alive.
For his grieving family, that thought brings a measure of comfort during a time of unbearable pain.
Morris’ life was cut short under mysterious circumstances earlier this month when he returned home injured and confused after a weekend out.
His mother, Maria, noticed blood on his clothing and a mark on his head, but Jason brushed it off and never told his family what had happened to him or how he sustained the injury to his head.
Over the next few days, he slept more than usual, ate very little, and struggled to walk.
According to Maria, she had last seen her son on Saturday 23 August before he left the house to go out.
He didn’t tell anyone where, or with whom, he was going. This was, however, not unusual - according to his sister, Yolande, her brother came and went as he pleased without saying much about his whereabouts.
“When he arrived home on Monday [1 September], I saw he was a bit ‘out of it’, but I initially thought he was probably still high or something,” says Maria.
“I noticed blood on his hoodie and a wound to his head. It wasn’t an open, bleeding wound - it actually looked like it could’ve been a couple of days old, so I wasn’t too concerned.”
That Monday, Jason spent most of his time sleeping. On Tuesday, he was still sleeping a lot and eating only a little bit.
His mother says on Wednesday morning, he got up to speak to a friend of his outside their house when she noticed something was still wrong with him. “He was walking like someone drunk,” she says. It was then that she phoned for an ambulance, but Jason refused medical treatment and could not be admitted to the hospital.
On Sunday morning, 31 August, Jason didn’t wake up when his mother offered him coffee. He was unresponsive. Again, she phoned the ambulance, and he was taken to the hospital.
By Monday 1 September, Jason was declared braindead due to severe brain swelling and fractures to his skull.
Donating her son’s organs
Through her tears, Maria made a selfless decision. “The doctors asked if they could use his organs to help others,” she says.
“After speaking with the family, we agreed. They told me his heart, kidneys and lungs were suitable. His heart was transplanted to someone who needed it - and now Jason’s heart is still alive, beating inside another person’s chest.”
Maria says the knowledge that her son gave someone else a second chance at life is a source of bittersweet pride.
Yet the questions remain. Nobody knows what happened to Jason that night.
None of the neighbours saw anything, and he never spoke about his injuries. His family is desperate for answers.
“Not knowing is killing me,” Maria says softly. “Someone out there knows what happened. Please, we just want closure.”
Four years ago, Jason’s older brother, Werner, was murdered in Pacaltsdorp. According to his mother, the case has not been solved yet, and they are still struggling with closure from then.
Yolande remembers Jason as a man who, despite his struggles with drugs and brushes with the law, loved his family deeply. “He wasn’t perfect, but no one deserves to be taken from their family like this,” she said.
Jason leaves behind his mother, two sisters and a brother.
The Southern Cape Police’s spokesperson, Sergeant Chris Spies, says the Pacaltsdorp police are investigating a case of murder. “The circumstances surrounding this matter are under investigation and all leads are being followed up.”
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