Before Judge Wayne Mack pronounced a Texas couple husband and wife, the two took to a stethoscope to hear their son’s heartbeat one more time.Monica and Dean Berckenhoff’s son, Colton, died in a freak accident when he was 11. They chose to donate his heart and other organs. As they wed Friday in Mack’s Willis courthouse, the heart donor recipient, 28-year-old Travis Stufflebean — whom they had never met — was a surprise guest. “It was special — special to hear it again,” said Monica Berckenhoff, adding that meeting the man carrying her late son’s heart was “something we always wanted … I didn’t think we would ever get to meet him.”Dean Berckenhoff said the moment brought him closure.Attendees decked out in pastels and seated in the courthouse’s wooden pews could be heard weeping, reflecting the tears the Berckenhoffs shed. The moment began with the bride gasping at the sight of Stufflebean walking in from the jury room and the groom giving him a bear hug.Colton, a blue-eyed boy with striking red hair and freckles, was always laughing, his family said. He enjoyed football, was a devoted Houston Texans fan and loved his two younger siblings. He would have turned 18 this year.“Colton was full of life,” McDonald said. “He was just the sweetest kid that you ever met.”McDonald devised the setup for Stufflebean to be there. After reaching out to him through Facebook back in December, McDonald and Colton’s maternal parents warmed up to Stufflebean when he flew in from Arkansas for the occasion.“He’s not just someone that received a heart, he’s our family,” McDonald said.She said she sees Colton’s smile and way of talking shine through those same traits in Stufflebean.“When I look at him, it’s like I’m seeing Colton,” McDonald said.Stufflebeam, whose parents knew he needed a heart transplant since birth, said he felt a responsibility to Colton to lead a righteous life. He will soon be an ordained minister.“I think if he was looking down, I think he would approve everything that I have accomplished so far,” he said. “He’s helped me a lot with it all.”Addressing the Berckenhoffs, Stufflebeam explained how nothing in life was perfect, except for their son’s heart. In all the years after the transplant, his body has not rejected Colton’s heart.“The heart is finally home,” Stufflebean said.Mack urged people become donors and notify their family, pointing to the Berckenhoffs as an example, describing as “courageous” their decision to donate Colton’s organs upon his death.“They made the choice in tragedy, to give life to Travis,” Mack said. “Please choose to give the gift of life.”As of January of this year, there are 113,000 people on the national transplant waiting list and 20 people a day die waiting to receive a organ donation, according to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.“Colton’s a hero. He’s more of a hero than any person that I know. He saved more than just one life by us donating his organs,” Monica Berckenhoff said. “Sign up to be a donor because there’s no telling who you could save, whose daughter or son or mother, grandchild.”
Before Judge Wayne Mack pronounced a Texas couple husband and wife, the two took to a stethoscope to hear their son’s heartbeat one more time.
Monica and Dean Berckenhoff’s son, Colton, died in a freak accident when he was 11. They chose to donate his heart and other organs. As they wed Friday in Mack’s Willis courthouse, the heart donor recipient, 28-year-old Travis Stufflebean — whom they had never met — was a surprise guest.
“It was special — special to hear it again,” said Monica Berckenhoff, adding that meeting the man carrying her late son’s heart was “something we always wanted … I didn’t think we would ever get to meet him.”
Dean Berckenhoff said the moment brought him closure.
Attendees decked out in pastels and seated in the courthouse’s wooden pews could be heard weeping, reflecting the tears the Berckenhoffs shed. The moment began with the bride gasping at the sight of Stufflebean walking in from the jury room and the groom giving him a bear hug.
Colton, a blue-eyed boy with striking red hair and freckles, was always laughing, his family said. He enjoyed football, was a devoted Houston Texans fan and loved his two younger siblings. He would have turned 18 this year.
“Colton was full of life,” McDonald said. “He was just the sweetest kid that you ever met.”
McDonald devised the setup for Stufflebean to be there. After reaching out to him through Facebook back in December, McDonald and Colton’s maternal parents warmed up to Stufflebean when he flew in from Arkansas for the occasion.
“He’s not just someone that received a heart, he’s our family,” McDonald said.
She said she sees Colton’s smile and way of talking shine through those same traits in Stufflebean.
“When I look at him, it’s like I’m seeing Colton,” McDonald said.
Stufflebeam, whose parents knew he needed a heart transplant since birth, said he felt a responsibility to Colton to lead a righteous life. He will soon be an ordained minister.
“I think if he was looking down, I think he would approve everything that I have accomplished so far,” he said. “He’s helped me a lot with it all.”
Addressing the Berckenhoffs, Stufflebeam explained how nothing in life was perfect, except for their son’s heart. In all the years after the transplant, his body has not rejected Colton’s heart.
“The heart is finally home,” Stufflebean said.
Mack urged people become donors and notify their family, pointing to the Berckenhoffs as an example, describing as “courageous” their decision to donate Colton’s organs upon his death.
“They made the choice in tragedy, to give life to Travis,” Mack said. “Please choose to give the gift of life.”
As of January of this year, there are 113,000 people on the national transplant waiting list and 20 people a day die waiting to receive a organ donation, according to the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.
“Colton’s a hero. He’s more of a hero than any person that I know. He saved more than just one life by us donating his organs,” Monica Berckenhoff said. “Sign up to be a donor because there’s no telling who you could save, whose daughter or son or mother, grandchild.”
