The heart-breaking loss of 8-year-old Eli Hill has left a Kentucky family and community in deep sorrow. On Monday morning, Eli was playing basketball in the driveway of his home when the backboard detached and struck him fatally in the chest, sending him to the local hospital. Eli ultimately succumbed to his injuries despite the hospital’s efforts and was eventually declared dead.
Eli’s father, Adam Hill, took to social media with a plea for prayers for his son; at the same time, Eli’s family courageously decided to donate his organs, eager to keep his spirit alive and buoyed by the promise he had been a child with a “heart of gold.”
The First Baptist Church of Corbin opened its doors to those who were grief-stricken by Eli’s sudden and untimely passing. Church officials found it “impossible to process and to make sense of” such a tragedy.
The death of Eli Hill cautions us to be aware of the impermanence of life and to cherish every moment we have with our family and friends. It also serves as a reminder of the selfless gift of organ donation, which Eli’s extraordinary family has given to potentially save the lives of others. May Eli Hill rest peacefully in the presence of angels, and may his memory be a blessing.