Twin Falls man donates organs and helps 102 people across the U.S.  

In March 2023, Curtis and Kim Wormsbaker of Kimberly lost their 25-year-old son, Dylan, following a horrific crash in which Dylan’s motorcycle was hit by a minivan that failed to yield.

First responders on the scene took Dylan to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center (EIRMC), the region’s most advanced Level II Trauma Center.  Emergency room staff notified the Wormsbakers about the accident, and they began the two-hour drive from Kimberly. During the long trek, the hospital called again.

“Up to this point, we thought it was a minor accident,” Curtis says. “They had told us the intersection where it happened, and it was a side street, maybe 35 miles per hour. But the ER neurosurgeon said he was doing everything he could to keep our son alive until we got there, and he asked for permission to do a craniotomy to relieve the pressure on Dylan’s skull. We couldn’t get there fast enough. When we got to EIRMC, it took them a while to get him stable, but then they let us see him. He’d suffered a massive brain injury, but they didn’t have enough information yet to make any decisions.”

 Compassionate care for a hero and his family

“Donor Connect came in pretty quickly,” says Kim. “They knew Dylan was an organ donor, gave us papers to sign and took 15 vials of blood to start the matching process. Throughout the week we were there, they were the nicest, kindest people.”

Donor Connect is a nonprofit community service organization that connects donors with recipients in Utah, southeastern Idaho, western Wyoming, and Elko, Nevada. They help facilitate, coordinate, educate, honor, and advocate for donors and donor families.

Dylan decided to become an organ donor when he got his first motorcycle around the age of 20.

“He was raised around motorcycles and had ridden with me or my wife since he was eight or nine,” Curtis says. “We’ve lost friends from motorcycle head injuries. I’ve always said that it’s not if you get in an accident, it’s when. So, when he got his bike, he told me he wanted to become an organ donor. I told him I thought he was making a good decision.”

At one point, the donor process was temporarily halted when a nurse thought she saw one of Dylan’s pupils dilate.

“We were told more testing was needed.” Curtis says. “We wanted to know exactly what was happening so we could make the right decision. When the testing was done, the doctor showed us a picture of his brain, and that picture told us everything. Parts of his brain were already dying. I asked the doctor what he would do if Dylan were his son, and he said ‘let him go.’ His quality of life would have been poor. He wouldn’t have his memories or be able to create new ones. So, I made the decision to take him off life support, and the family agreed. The doctor gave us peace of mind that we were making the right decision.”

The Twin Falls man left behind a fiancée and four young children. But his legacy reaches far beyond the family members who will never see him again. In September 2024, the Wormsbakers learned that Dylan had provided lifesaving and life-changing gifts to 102 strangers by becoming an organ donor.

“It’s amazing to know that our son lives on in 102 people,” Curtis said.

Dylan was able to donate his heart, one kidney, both lungs (which is rare at this elevation), both eyes, as well as skin, bones, and veins. His gifts went to grateful recipients all across the country. 

• Dylan's heart was gifted to a man from the West Coast. 
• Dylan's left kidney was gifted to a retired father of one.
• Dylan's lungs were gifted to a woman from the Midwest. 
• Dylan has contributed to a research project that will help men who are infertile. 
• Dylan's left cornea was gifted to an 81-year-old female in New York. 
• Dylan's right cornea was gifted to an individual in Oregon. 
• Dylan's tissue donation includes 84 bone grafts that were shipped to 22 states.  Recipients included a 16-year-old male who had surgery to create new ligaments to stabilize his knee; a 71-year-old female to preserve tissue following a mastectomy;

a 27-year-old female who had surgery to repair broken ankle bones; a 19-year-old male who had surgery on his nose. 

“Dylan is a hero,” Curtis added. “This has been very painful for us. A lot of our relief has come from knowing that our son has helped so many people.”

“One donor can save up to eight lives and heal dozens of others through tissue donation,” says Leslie Anderson, a hospital specialist with Donor Connect. “Right here in our region, 975 people are on the waitlist. I’m not sure Dylan knew the full impact he would have when he registered as an organ donor. But his gift of life continues to shine through every life he touched — in laughter shared, in lives saved, and in hope renewed.”

Organ donation is not only an act of kindness. It’s also the chance to be someone’s miracle.

“With the strength of his family and the love they carry forward, his legacy stands as a powerful reminder: When we choose to register as organ donors, we become part of something bigger. We create a ripple of hope, strengthen our community, and help build a future full of life,” Leslie added.

A special relationship with nurse Max

The Wormsbakers were especially grateful for the care provided by Max Fransen, RN, who had been at Dylan’s side for much of the week he was there. The family asked if Max could take an extra shift at the end of the week.

“We had become very close with Max,” says Curtis. “He would make sure I was put together and presentable every morning before my family got to the hospital. Max was supposed to be off that last night, but I asked if he could stay on while my son passed. He also got to be part of the team that harvested Dylan’s organs. It was really special to us.”

One of Dylan’s sisters, Brandi, sent a glowing letter to Max’s supervisor. Max was subsequently recognized with a prestigious Daisy Award, which celebrates the extraordinary skill and compassion nurses provide their patients and families every day.

Sharing Dylan’s Life-Saving Example

Because of Dylan’s example, another of the Wormsbakers' sons and his wife registered to become organ donors.

“It sucks that I lost my son,” Curtis says. “But the blessing is that we have custody of one of our grandsons, who was two when Dylan passed. It’s like I get to see his dad every day. He knows his daddy’s in heaven and that he lives on in other people. He knows his dad is a hero. He doesn’t understand that now, but he will someday. That’s pretty cool.”