Eliot Abramson died days after he was struck in the back of the neck with a ball during a lacrosse recruiting event
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Eliot-Abramson-tout-61726-d23aec37c2594698a6a004ea05aadbdb.jpg "Eliot Abramson, Lacross Player Saves 5 Lives with Organ Donation")
Credit: The Abramson family
NEED TO KNOW
- Eliot Abramson died on June 7 after getting struck in the back of the neck by a ball during a lacrosse recruiting event on June 1
- His family said that he chose to become an organ donor and has since helped saved five lives
- His family encourages others to honor his legacy by registering as an organ donor or supporting Safe Crossings Foundation, an organization that helps children through grief
The legacy of late high school lacrosse player Eliot Abramson lives on.
Abramson’s family shared with PEOPLE that the athlete — who died after getting struck in the back of the neck by a lacrosse ball earlier this month — was an organ donor and has since saved several lives.
Abramson had been participating in a college lacrosse recruiting event at Islander Stadium on June 1 when the incident happened.
A firefighter who was at the game helped keep Abramson’s heart beating before first responders arrived and transported the high schooler to nearby Harborview Medical Center, where he died six days later.
Credit: The Abramson family
His family said in a statement shared with PEOPLE that his organ donor status helped ensure that “five people are alive today” — something he would have “been happy knowing.”
“There is extreme heartache that comes with knowing all that Eliot will never have the chance to do. We think about the games he would have played, the places he would have traveled to study Spanish, where he would have gone to college, the friendships he would have deepened and the dreams he would have pursued,” his family said.
“At the same time, there is comfort in knowing that part of him lives on in others, giving them more time with those they love. That is a gift far greater than any of us could have imagined,” they added.
Abramson was also a member of the Safe Crossings Youth Advisory Council — a branch of the Safe Crossings Foundation, an organization that helps grieving children and teens who have lost a loved one. Abramson joined the organization after the death of his father, Joey, according to his family.
His family said that they were “deeply grateful” for the support from friends, relatives and their community following his death, especially from those who shared stories of him that they had never heard before and shared photos and videos of him that reminded them of “the joy, kindness, humor, and light that Eliot brought wherever he went.”
“As we move forward, our wish is to focus more on the way he lived, the lives he touched, and the legacy he continues to leave,” they wrote, adding that people who wanted to “honor Eliot’s memory” can “register as an organ donor or support the work of Safe Crossings.”
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“Organ donation has given five people a second chance at life. Safe Crossings helped Eliot when he needed it most and continues to do the same for countless children and families,” they wrote. “Both are now part of the legacy he leaves behind.”
“We can think of no better tribute to Eliot than carrying forward the generosity he showed throughout his sixteen years and through the gift he chose to leave behind. Thank you for loving our son. Thank you for remembering him. And thank you for helping ensure that his legacy is one of hope, healing, and life,” they said.