The oldest organ donor in U.S history is a 100 year old Nebraska veteran

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – When determining if an organ from one body can be safely transplanted to save another, medical teams must act quickly and with precision.

Thanks to the quick-thinking medical team at Live On Nebraska, their decision to transplant one man’s liver ultimately made American history.

“I reacted with kind of amusement and surprise because I said, he’s over 100 years old!” said Roger Steele, the donor’s son, describing his father’s last day as filled with mixed emotions.

“A day when we were sorry to lose our father and grandfather, but also the satisfaction of knowing that an organ he donated could be used to help somebody else,” he said.

Dale Steele was a veteran and a ‘tried and true Nebraskan,’ as per his son.

He was born in Ainsworth, Nebraska, and grew up on a ranch raising cattle himself.

He later met his wife, Dora, at a dance in Bassett, and the pair was married for 72 years before he passed away on Feb. 11 this year, at the age of 100 years old.

He left behind four kids, four grandkids and his liver.

It would become the oldest organ donated in US history to date, and the second-oldest in the world.

Second only to a liver from Italy, which was just a few months older than Steele’s.

Roger Steele, who is also the current Mayor of Grand Island, recalls the immense support the family received from hospital staff during the transplant process.

“It was a very memorable experience for my family and me because it showed us that the people at Nebraska Medicine hold anybody who’s going to be an organ donor in very high esteem,” he said.

In addition, the group Live On Nebraska, which arranges and oversees transplant completion in Nebraska, held a ‘hero walk’ for the Steele family.

This is where people line the hospital hallway, as Dale was led to the operating room.

Dr. Lee Morrow is the Chief Medical Director of Live On Nebraska.

He credits the group’s pursuit of Steele’s 100-year-old organ to the high standards that they hold themselves to.

“We pride ourselves in being aggressive, saving as many lives as possible, and it was in that spirit that, you know, I said, if we’re going to say that we are the most aggressive OPO in the country, then we really need to act like it, and we should offer donation to this family,” said Morrow.

The surgery’s success was also due in large part to technological advancements in the field, such as ex vivo body pumping.

A name that means, ‘outside of the body,’ and it keeps organs pumping before being placed into a new person.

Before it, organs would weaken as soon as the donor passed.

This limited donations to people under 65.

Dr. Morrow says that the success of this procedure is also due to collaboration among Live On Nebraska, donor hospitals across the state, doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and the families who allow the donation to happen.

“I think that speaks volumes about the character of Nebraskans wanting to help our neighbors out, right?” said Dr. Morrow.

He adds, “It is a heartwarming win for everybody that we could work together and make this happen.”

As for the next cutting-edge advancement, Morrow says they are working on transplanting organs from genetically engineered animals into humans.

A task that has shown success after several tests already.