Kenneth Dean/ Dallas Morning News

With tears of both joy and sadness, the mother and sister of a fallen Henderson police officer met four people who were given a second chance at life after receiving his organs.

Diane Vail hugged the organ recipients during the Southwest Transplant Alliance's 11th annual Giving and Living Ceremony Sunday afternoon at the Woman's Building in Tyler.

She told them they received a precious gift from a man full of life.

Bryan Vail was killed in December 2003 when his vehicle struck the back of a tractor-trailer on his way home from work.

The death of the Henderson Police Department officer struck his family and his fellow officers with grief, but his death meant life for others.

"My son is a hero. What more can I say?" she said. "Meeting these people today helps, because I know he gave them the chance to continue living with his death. I wish I had him back, but this helps."

Speaking to a crowd of more than 75, Vail's sister, Christi Vail Woodward, outlined her brother's life and his choice to be an organ donor.

"We couldn't have asked for a better son or brother," she said. "Bryan was full of life and always wanted to help others. He is still touching others."

Pam Silvestri, the alliance's community education director, said 80,000 people are on the national organ transplant waiting list each year, including 5,550 in Texas.

"The number of transplant candidates who died awaiting a transplant in 2003 fell to 5,968 after exceeding 6,000 each year since 1999," she said. "We lose about 6,000 people a year not because we don't have a cure, but because we don't have enough donors. You and I have the chance to save someone's life."

Ms. Silvestri said 67-year-old Don Kent from Northeast Texas received Vail's heart; a 65-year-old retired schoolteacher received his liver; 56-year-old Rick Fulce, an electrician who was hurt on the job, received the lungs; and Regina Bailey of Malakoff and Michael Lobstein from West Texas received his kidneys.

"His donation helped people from different areas of the state," she said.

"By being an organ donor, this is where average people can make a difference by being a donor."

Mrs. Bailey said the gift was bittersweet because of the loss the Vail family suffered.

She presented Ms. Vail with a plaque she made to show her appreciation. The plaque, set with a poem for a background, had a picture of Vail holding his daughter.

"This is my favorite picture of him, besides the one of him in his uniform," Ms. Vail said as she accepted the gift.

Ms. Silvestri said organ donations increased by 58 percent in Tyler, 800 percent in Longview and 167 percent in Texarkana from 2002 to 2003.

"Overall, Southwest Transplant Alliance saw a 28 percent increase in donations, and nationally donations were up 4.3 percent, the highest annual increase since 1998," she said.

During Sunday's event donor families and recipients received medals and plaques and balloons were released to remember those who had given the ultimate gift - the gift of life.