The decision to donate the organs of the 13-year-old Queens boy shot to death on his way to school has saved the lives of four people, including a boy his same age who received his heart, officials said Sunday.
In addition to the 13-year-old who received victim Sanjay Samuel’s heart, a 15-year-old received his liver and two adults in their 50s who received his lungs, pancreas and a kidney.
“Sanjay became an organ donor hero today after his grieving family generously said yes to giving the gift of life to patients waiting for a second chance,” said LiveOnNY President and CEO Leonard Achan.
“LiveOnNY is humbled and honored to be the stewards of these precious gifts of life so that Sanjay and others may live on. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
The recipients of Sanjay’s organs live in New York, Ohio and the District of Columbia, Achan said. LiveOnNY is a nonprofit that helps coordinate organ donations in the New York City area.
After being pronounced dead Wednesday at Cohen Childrens Medical Center, Sanjay remained on a ventilator so his organs could be harvested and donated, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a press briefing on Thursday.
The 16-year-old boy accused of killing Sanjay with a gunshot to the head was ordered held without bail by a Queens Criminal Court judge on Saturday. He surrendered to cops at the 105th Precinct stationhouse with his lawyer on Friday after an intensive manhunt.
The killer approached Sanjay on a Razor scooter while the victim was with classmates outside the Dunkin’ Donuts at Springfield and Linden Blvds. in Cambria Heights at about 8:20 a.m. Sept. 22, according to cops and prosecutors. He pistol-whipped Sanjay before shooting him in the back of the head in a clash cops believe was gang-related.
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