April 7, 2018 was the day Lethbridge’s Logan Boulet passed away. He was one of the 16 people killed when the Humboldt Broncos hockey team bus collided with a semi-truck.
Now, April 7 will also be known as Green Shirt Day, a day dedicated to promoting organ donation awareness, while honouring the “Logan Boulet effect.”
Logan, who was just 21 when he lost his life, had made his wishes to be an organ donor known to his family. His heart, liver, lungs, kidneys and corneas saved or improved the lives of six people across Canada.
“We knew exactly what to do in our time of crisis,” his mom Bernadine said on Friday.
“When that time came… we knew what to do.
“That’s what Green Shirt Day will do,” she added. “It will continue to honour his legacy and his decision to become an organ donor.”
WATCH BELOW: Mariko Boulet, Logan’s sister, Brenda Brown with the Canadian Transplant Assoc., and Peggy John, donation manager for Canadian Blood Services, speak about Green Shirt Day.
Following the deadly crash, tens of thousands of people joined organ donation registries across the country in what came to be known as the “Logan Boulet effect.”
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Nearly 100,000 Canadians signed up to become organ donors after learning he had signed his own card.
Canadian Blood Services said there were 99,742 registrations in April alone — a number that only included provinces with online registration: British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island.
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The legacy of Logan Boulet and the gift of life -
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Continuing the ‘Logan Boulet Effect’ by promoting organ donation -
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Family of Humboldt victim to launch organ donation campaign -
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Lethbridge Minor Hockey pays tribute to Humboldt Bronco Logan Boulet -
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Boulet family travels to Humboldt to honour son for Broncos’ season opener -
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Humboldt Bronco Logan Boulet honoured for organ donation at ceremony Thursday -
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Celebration of life for Logan Boulet remembers one of its Humboldt Broncos heroes -
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Family of Logan Boulet explains why he became an organ donor
READ MORE: Death of player in Humboldt Broncos bus crash highlighted organ donation
“In light of this tragedy, a record number people registered their intent to donate in April and May,” Logan’s father Toby said.
Logan’s family joined officials with the Canadian Transplant Association and Canadian Blood Services on Friday to officially announce Green Shirt Day. The decision to hold the event Friday was a meaningful one.
“Tomorrow would be Logan’s 22nd birthday,” his dad said through tears.
“We will continue the gift of giving.”
READ MORE: Grieving family of Humboldt victim works to drive up number of Canadian organ donors
Logan’s family hopes that Green Shirt Day will get Canadians talking more about organ donation and that it will become “regular kitchen table talk.”
The day’s slogan is: “Register, Tell Your Family, Be Inspired.”
According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, in 2016, 256 Canadians died waiting for an organ, and at the end of the year 4,469 were awaiting an organ transplant.
“We are extremely proud of his decision,” Logan’s mom said. “And we’ll continue to honour his legacy and support it through Green Shirt Day.”
WATCH BELOW (Feb. 28): Logan Boulet was one of 16 people killed on April 7 in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. Since his passing, he’s inspired thousands of people across Canada to consider organ donation. Matt Battochio explains how his family continues to uphold his legacy.
— With files from Heather Yourex-West, Global News
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