Rylen Quinn Cowan

Type of Donation:             Organ donor

Age and Location:             Age 13 months – Katy, TX

Donation Date:                  June 5, 2017

Sponsor:                               Honored by LifeGift

RYLEN’S STORY

Rylen Quinn Cowan earned his angel wings on June 5, 2017, at the age of only 13.5 months old, after a weeklong battle with bacterial meningitis. Rylen’s family knew right away that they would be blessed with the opportunity to have him donate his organs, so that Rylen could live on through others. Rylen’s “Gifts of Life” were able to save five lives through organ donation. The Cowan family has been blessed to meet his heart recipient, and they look forward to meeting his left kidney recipient very soon.

The most amazing thing about Rylen is that his story is still unfolding. Because of Rylen’s amazing smile, he quickly earned the nickname “Smilin’ Rylen”. And because of Rylen’s love for the color orange, which is happy and cheerful, Rylen is remembered by each sunrise and sunset. But most importantly, the Smilin’ Rylen Foundation was established August 2017 to keep Rylen’s memory and legacy alive.

Since its inception, the Smilin’ Rylen Foundation has hosted two successful annual runs in Katy, Texas along with many fundraising opportunities that have allowed the Foundation to gift $74,000 to date. Gift donations raised over the past two years have gone to support beneficiaries dear to the Cowan family including LifeGift, Ronald McDonald House-Houston, Emma’s Hugs and Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.

The Cowan family is still so heartbroken and in complete disbelief at the fact that their Rylen isn’t here on earth with them physically. They never imagined that they would ever lose a child. But, also never imagined in their wildest dreams that Rylen would have touched and impacted so many lives and continues to do so today. Their sweet little angel Rylen has made them so proud as they continue to see his story unfold and live on forever as a hero to those he helped.