When I was 26, I conceived Zoey Angel. Her name Zoey is Greek for life-giving, and Angel was the logical choice to follow that first name. She was indeed my life-giving angel as she gave me purpose in life and changed me.
The night after her suicide, there was a call from a SC number. I usually don’t answer numbers without names, but I did. This was the only light in the abyss my life had fallen into after Zoey Angel’s suicide. Millions of people saw her goodbye note on Facebook. The organ donation volunteer spent over an hour with me on the phone. They were kind and patient.
Two days after she died, I saw people commenting on her Facebook how they were worried about her cat, so I created a page for her cat, Zoey Angel’s Cat, King. Instantly almost there were 17k followers and millions of viewers on the content I posted regularly to let people know that her cat, King, was ok. They also got to see when I received letters and other items from orgs like Miracles in Sight. As a result, many people have told me that they have became donors registered. Many also have told me that her Facebook page provides daily hope to keep going and not take their life.
Because of Zoey, I became a teacher which allowed me to teach where she went to school subsequently for free. She and I went together to Christian Academies till she was in second grade. Then she went to a popular Catholic school for the remainder of elementary school. Meanwhile I finished graduate degree and started teaching in higher ed while dabbling in software engineering. At middle school age, she wanted to go to public school, and she did, always happy and enjoying her friendships.
Because of her, I’d created years of teaching experience that led me eventually to college administration. We had moved around the country through those experiences, finally landing in Myrtle Beach in 2020 where I was able to work from home and we lived down the street from my parents and brother.
By then, she was 22. Somehow she’d begun battling eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. She never wanted to let anyone into her fights, denying they existed but they were apparent to me and others whom she withdrew from.
Because of her anxiety, she never finished things like school or work. She was not able to keep a job till finally in 2024 she started working in the back at Goodwill where she sorted people’s donations. That was the longest she’d ever kept a job. I was proud of her and told her so. Finally, things were seeming like they were going to be better and the future was bright.
On a windy March day, friends started texting me while I was at work “Is Zoey ok?” I went looking for her. It was around noon. I’d heard her go out the front door at about 11 and hadn’t thought about it being odd that she’d had no coffee that day.
I wandered next door to the pool parking lot and saw her suv. I was already on the phone with 911 during the search. I screamed when I saw the shattered car window.
Jumping forward to that night, there was a call from organ donors. As noted, it has been wonderful hearing that Zoey Angel’s gifts helped one or two people. I appreciated the gifts they have sent to me and find some comfort in them. I would love to hear from any donor who received some of Zoey’s gifts.