HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida 13-year-old gave one final gift to her father, and it happened to be the greatest gift of all.

From singing to dancing, Symaria Glenn was a big personality and a bright light.

“She was loved, she was liked,” said Dhima Martin, the teen’s mother. “She played volleyball, she was a great student, a great sister.”

On Jan. 31, Symaria complained about a bad headache, which she and her family didn’t realize was something more serious.

It was not a headache. It was a brain bleed.

By the time paramedics arrived, Symaria was unconscious. She never regained consciousness again.

Once Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood confirmed Glenn was brain dead, her family decided to give life through organ donation.

“She made sure you felt valued and loved,” said Martin. “So, in choosing to donating her organs, she lives on.”

“This is a story of a teenager who unfortunately passed away, was brain dead, and a lovely gift to leave six organs to five people throughout Florida and the United States,” said Dr. Linda Chen, a kidney transplant surgeon at Memorial Regional Hospital.

Symaria gave life, not only to others but to her father, Shawn Glenn, who was experiencing kidney failure and had been on the organ donor list since 2020.

“She was unbelievably perfect. I’m proud, I’m proud,” said Shawn.

Back in February, workers, family members and friends at Memorial Regional Hospital celebrated Symaria’s life with a final honor walk from the intensive care unit to the operating room.

“Her body was just that, a body,” said Martin. “She had went on to heaven at that point. Why not save someone else’s child, someone else’s life?” said Martin.

Her father would say goodbye, going into surgery the following day to receive his daughter’s kidney.

“She said I was her protector, and now she’s my hero,” said Shawn.

A hero who lives on in others, which helps to soften a loss so grand for her mom and dad, helps them through the darkest moments and brings them comfort.

“He allowed me to be her mother, and I’m honored, I’m blessed to be her mother, but she’s God’s child first,” said Martin. “She gets to save lives, she gets to save Dad’s life, and she gets to be home with him.”

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