In death, Kingston and Knowledge gave the gift of life

In August, the Statesboro community was shaken by the loss of Shatasha Fields and her two young sons, Kingston, 4, and Knowledge, 5, after a car accident on the bypass.

While Ms. Fields succumbed to her injuries at the scene, the boys were transported to Memorial in Savannah by helicopter in hopes of saving their young lives. Their smiling faces filled Facebook, as people prayed for them to pull through.

Sadly, their recovery was not to be, and their family made the heartbreaking yet selfless choice to allow them to be organ donors. In their death, this allowed the boys to give others the gift of life.

Their aunt, Shatasha’s sister Shabrina Fields, and paternal grandmother, Gina Bailey-Hearns, shared more about who the boys were, allowing us all to get to know their legacy.

'The sweetest little fellas'

Shabrina was extremely close to the boys and their mother, seeing them almost every day, as she often provided childcare when Shatasha was working. “Auntie Brina” had memorable moments with all three of them just before the accident, which she now holds as special memories. 

In fact, she kept Kingston the Monday prior to the accident on Tuesday, recalling that she got him a special snack of pretzels and cherry limeade. You can hear the smile in her voice when she speaks about them. 

“Knowledge loved to dance, joke, and play,” she said. “He loved to laugh and would laugh for no reason."

She says Knowledge also loved french fries, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Bluey, and he loved to start things with his brother, who was perfectly capable of defending himself. Despite being younger, he could hold his own.

"If you ever experienced Kingston, he was unique," she said. "He was one of a kind, and he was going to do his thing.”

Kingston was strong-minded, and he loved to play Roblox, just like so many other little boys his age. 

Bailey-Hearns, who the boys called Grandma, says they were kids in all aspects.

“They were everything you can imagine in a child,” she shared. “They were energetic, asked questions, and loved to explore. They were all boy.”

She also says that Knowledge was aptly named, as he “knew everything and would tell everything.” He was the only one of her grandchildren to take notice when she began using oxygen, and he needed to know why.

Kingston, she says, loved her house and never wanted to leave it – perhaps because he got to play video games while he was there! Unbeknownst to the boys, their mom was already saving to get them their own gaming system for their house for Christmas.

During a visit to Grandma’s house, the first thing the boys did was give her a hug, and she’d kiss their foreheads. That was their ritual.

“They were the sweetest little fellas,” she said. “They were my weekends, and it’s different now. I’m grateful to have been included and allowed to be their grandma.”

Lifesaving superheroes

When it became clear that the boys would not recover after the accident, the family was left with decisions about how to proceed. The choice to allow them to be organ donors was ultimately up to their father. 

Their grandmother admits that while she is an organ donor herself, facing that decision for the little boys was extremely difficult. LifeLink of Georgia ushered the family through the decision-making process, explaining everything clearly and compassionately, and one piece of information ultimately made it easier for her.

“We found out the boys’ blood type was different, and we knew it was the right decision,” Bailey-Hearns shared. “People out there were really in need and had a slimmer chance because of their blood type. That made it special.”

The family was told that the boys would save up to 16 lives with their donations, and to date, they have been informed about a local child who received one of their kidneys and a one-year-old who received a heart. They may one day be able to connect with those families.

“The hardest part was letting them go,” Bailey-Hearns said. “It’s hard to do an Angel Walk, and we had to do two.” (An Angel Walk is a special and sacred time when an organ donor is taken for their final walk to the operating room for their donation.)

But while the process itself was heartbreaking for the family, they also knew that it was life-changing for others.

“We know that when we lost them, somebody got a call that changed their life forever,” Bailey-Hearns said. “I put myself in their shoes, and I was happy for them.”

Just recently, LifeLink sent the family two small superhero capes for the boys, a touching reminder of their sacrifice and gift. The handwritten card read, “For your family in honor of Kingston and Knowledge. With gratitude, LifeLink of Georgia.”

Outpouring of community support

One thing the family wants to be sure to share is their appreciation for the community support and care they received in the wake of this terrible accident.

While they were at Memorial, Bailey-Hearns said the hospital and LifeLink staff members were empathetic and sympathetic, going above and beyond to accommodate the family. As just one example, the boys were initially in separate trauma rooms, but the hospital allowed them to move into one room so the family could be with both of them at the same time.

A GoFundMe for the family quickly raised more than $20,000 to support the family and cover any costs associated with their deaths, and the community stepped up to provide funeral services, the church for those services to be held, food, and more.

“I’m so thankful for the community and for the love that was shown to us,” Bailey-Hearns said. “People went beyond what was expected. Our hearts go out to the first responders and the people on the scene who witnessed the accident.”

It is important to the family that the community keep the boys’ and their mother’s memory alive. The approaching holiday season will be difficult this year, but as a tribute, they are hoping to pass out carseats to families in need this Christmas – in loving memory of Kingston and Knowledge.

“I don’t want people to forget Tasha and the boys,” Bailey-Hearns said. “I’m thankful for the life that they lived and for the time that I had with them.”

Grice Connect extends our special thanks to the family of Shatasha Fields, Knowledge Bailey, and Kingston Bailey for sharing their story and photos with us. For more information about organ donation with LifeLink of Georgia, visit https://lifelinkfoundation.org/.