U.S. Air Force Engineer Cody Sargent Went Viral for Donating Major Organs

The Gist:

• Cody Sargent was a United States Air Force engineer.
• On Nov. 1, 2023, Cody tragically died after a short battle with brain cancer.
• Cody's honor walk went viral on TikTok after he donated almost all of his major organs.

On Nov. 1, 2023, United States Air Force engineer Cody Sargent tragically passed away after a short battle with a brain tumor. His loved one, Kristin Clark, confirmed his death via Facebook. He was 38 years old.

What happened? Keep reading for all the known details about Cody's death. Plus, stick around to find out more about his selfless decision to donate nearly all of his major organs and save lives.

On Nov. 7, 2023, Kristin Clark took to Facebook and revealed that Cody and his wife, Frances Sargent, visited the emergency room on Halloween. He'd been dealing with headaches for five weeks, so the doctor ordered a STAT CT scan. It was performed immediately, and the results showed that Cody had a brain tumor.

Cody was then "airlifted to the Medical Center of the Rockies for emergency surgery, so the tumor could be partially removed and biopsied along with decreasing the cranial pressure." Kristin disclosed that the neurosurgeon believed Cody had a Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), which is the most common and "most aggressive brain tumor/cancer."

On Nov. 1, 2023, at 4:00 a.m., Cody was taken in for another emergency procedure due to the amount of swelling and cranial pressure. According to Kristin, the neurosurgeon didn't think the engineer would have "cognitive function and reflexes" after the second surgery. As a result, the neurosurgeons decided to reduce Cody's sedation.

At 1:30 p.m., they performed their final checks and determined Cody was brain dead. He was given a time of death and kept on life support, as he was an organ donor.

Cody's honor walk — which has since gone viral on TikTok — took place on Nov. 3, 2023, and "was celebrated with his wife, son, family, friends, the amazing nurses and doctors that cared for him, and the hospital staff."

He was transported to Denver, and at 1:59 a.m. on Nov. 5, 2023, Cody went in for his final surgery. It took over seven hours because he was able to donate his heart, lungs, liver, and both of his kidneys.

"My man was strong, guys!! I'm so proud of him!" Cody's wife, Frances, wrote in her own Facebook post. "Hope this news gives everyone comfort. ... Whoever receives these gifts is so blessed! [Five] lives are going to change. Causing a huge chain of impact on everyone in their lives."

Many shared their condolences with the Colorado native's family.

"My prayers are with this family!" one person wrote in the comment section of the viral TikTok video showing Cody's honor walk. "What a selfless act to give to save others' lives!! Rest in peace, Cody!!"

A second person responded, "Cody, you are an amazing soul. Thank you for giving others the gift of life. I hope and pray for your friends and family's healing…"

"One of the most heartbreaking things I've been through," another person shared. "We love you, Cody. Thank you for your gift of life to all you saved."

Someone else commented, "I'm a dialysis patient, and his selfless act will give [someone] like me a [second] chance at life…thank you for saving multiple lives, RIP."

Our thoughts are with Cody's family and friends during this difficult time.