2022 Scholarship Winner – Emily Humphrey
June 28, 2022
Emily Humphrey graduated from Carmel High School in 2017 and was nearing the end of her second year studying pre-pharmacy at Purdue University when her older brother, Tyler, died from a drug overdose. Tyler was a tissue donor. He gave sight to two people through donation of his corneas and helped heal dozens of people through skin donation.
“My brother’s unexpected death changed my perspective on what I wanted to do in life,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to help others.”
After her brother’s death, Humphrey enrolled at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis. Today, she’s studying radiation therapy and working part-time at IU Health North in Carmel as an inpatient pharmacy technician.
“I encourage and educate anyone I come across who is hesitant about being an organ donor. It is a selfless act and will forever be appreciated by recipients and their families,” Humphrey, 24, said.
Each year, Humphrey’s family throws a scholarship party in Tyler’s honor with proceeds going to a Wayne Township EMT program to help students who can’t afford its fees. Tyler wanted to be an EMT then a firefighter after graduating college. During the event, the family shares their donation story, how Tyler lives on through his tissue recipients, and how attendees can save lives by registering to become organ and tissue donors.
“I’ll forever be proud of my brother for making the decision to be a tissue donor,” said Humphrey, 24, of Whitestown, Indiana. “Our tragedy became someone else’s miracle. I know he wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
Read about the other 2022 Scholarship winners here.
