Dallas

Texas Connects Us: Blue Doors Honor Legacy of Young Organ Donor

In a quiet Dallas neighborhood, one house sticks out – the home with the bright blue door.

"We get a lot of eyeballs on it and the neighbors want to come over and know, 'What have you done?'" said real estate agent Karen Hartman.

Hartman and her husband renovate homes. When they're done, they paint the door a brilliant blue and put it on the market.

They call the eye-catching shade "Taylor Blue" in honor of Taylor Storch.

The vibrant 13-year-old died after a skiing accident in 2010, and her parents made a choice they knew their little girl would support. They donated Taylor's organs and started the foundation Taylor's Gift to raise awareness about organ donation.

"How many opportunities do you get to connect to a family and an organization of a little girl that passed, who left so many things behind, and changed so many lives along the way?" said Hartman. "She saved five lives when she donated her organs."

Hartman serves on the advisory board for Taylor's Gift. Everyone who walks through one of the couple's renovated homes is greeted with Taylor's story. Signs detail how her heart prolonged the life of a mother of two and her kidney helped a father in Colorado.

"I believe we were put on this planet to do good, and painting this door, if we change one mind or talk one person in to donating or being an organ donor, it's a little bit of good. That's maybe a life we saved or a life that we changed," said Hartman.

The hope is each home will open people's hearts to give like Taylor.

"I really believe that each door has a little angel over the house and the family that lives in it. That's Taylor. She's here. We feel her," said Hartman.

According to Hartman, once a home sells her realty group makes a donation to Taylor's Gift, along with the title company and often the new owner of the home.

MORE: Click here to learn more about Taylor's Gift.

Contact Us