10/18/2026
“My son David was 52 years old and living in the Hunterdon County ARC group home. David was autistic. Christmas Day 2025, we were “off guard” because of the excitement of the day. David was a choking risk, and we were always aware when he ate, he needed to take small bites of food and chew.
My grandson, Gabriel, was talking to his Uncle David when the unthinkable happened. Not watching while he ate, he ate too fast and choked on an olive.
The hospitals were both extremely attentive and the ICU nurses and personnel did everything to make David comfortable. He was intubated on Christmas Day and only when it was time to say goodbye, did the nurses remove the equipment. He lived for 2 weeks while intubated. Sadly, due to a lack of oxygen for a while, we decided, as a family, to donate his organs.
David was high-energy, loved people, always happy to greet you, and he had this infectious smile. Everyone at the group home loved him.
He could have been a guest on “Name that Tune”. When listening to the radio in the car, he could name the song and the artist in a few notes. Certainly, I could not do that. That was one of his gifts. He loved any kind of music from R&B, country, etc.
Christmas this year will be very sad for us. However, there are people out there who received as much from David as possible. He was strong, healthy, and full of joy.
I pray the recipients are all doing well and will thrive for many years!”
—Linda, mother of organ donor David T. Crosta
