Team Eli for the Rose Bowl Parade/Donate Life Float

Donate Life America Story on Eli:

Elijah “Eli” Cole McGinley
Age: 5 days ~ East End, AR
Heart Valve Donor
Date of Donation: 8/8/09
Hospital: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Honored by: ARORA

Elijah “Eli” Cole McGinley was prayed for long before his parents gave birth to him. During their 20-week ultrasound of the twins, the ultrasound tech excitedly informed the McGinley Family that they were carrying twin boys. But in that appointment, their high-risk specialist told them of unfortunate news. “While he was ultrasounding me, he put the probe back up on the machine, put his hand on my knee and said “We need to talk”. I felt like my world had stopped.” said Jodie. The doctor informed the McGinley Family that baby A looked to have a neural tube defect called Spina Bifida, which causes paralysis of the lower extremities. “We knew we were going to have a challenge of two opposite twins, but we were prepared for it.” she said.

On August 3rd, 2009, at 36-weeks gestation, Jesse & Jodie welcomed their twin sons Eli (6lbs 3oz) & Walker (5lbs 7oz) into their lives. But their world quickly turned upside down days later when Eli’s medical team informed the family that testing showed Eli’s condition was much more severe than initially thought. “We immediately knew what we had to do.” Jesse stated. “We had to give another baby the opportunity at life, another family the chance to keep their baby in their arms.”


Surrounded by his family, Eli was taken off of life support on August 6, 2009. Expecting minutes with him, to doctors surprise, he continued breathing on his own. A day later, the medical teams united the twin brothers together in Eli’s final hours of life. “It seemed almost like Eli was holding on to something. And it became obvious that something was one last chance to be with his brother. Once reunited, Eli’s color returned to his little body and we have photos of a smile coming across his precious face when his little hand was laid on top of his brother’s shoulder. The power of twins is incredible.” Jesse stated.

On August 8th, 2009, in the arms of his parents and beside his twin brother, Eli took his last breath. It was that very day that he gave the gift of life so that another child would be able to carry on, grow, and become healthy again. “Eli will always be perfect in our eyes. We gave birth to a hero. And we will continue to raise Walker to know his twin brother in everything we do in his life.”

On August 8th, 2010, the 1-year anniversary of Eli’s passing, they found out they were expecting. They would later deliver a healthy baby girl named “Ellie”.