A Southwick man who was killed in a motorcycle crash last spring was remembered with an organ donor drive this past weekend. Friends signed up donors at dirt bike race in his hometown, held at the Motocross 338 track.

Daniel Arnold lived to ride. His friends say he was happiest when he was covered in mud after a great ride on his bike around the track.

Close friend Sharon Alexander says Daniel was kind and generous. Not surprisingly, he was also an organ donor.

Tragically, Daniel died June 15th from injuries he received in a motorcycle accident while competing in a motocross race in Maine.

Alexander says "he was an organ donor and most of his viable organs were given away because he had a brain injury."

Daniel's friends say the pain of loosing him has been hard but they are happy and proud to know his death could save the lives of many by giving the ultimate gift.

Caitlyn Bernabucci works with Life Choice Donor services and says "he is a hero to many families who he really gave a second change to in his death."

This is why Bernabucci and Daniels friends teamed up to help get the word out about organ donation.

Bernabucci told us "there are over 100,000 people who are waiting for some kind of organ transplant so it's really important for us to get the word out and get people registered."

Right now about 40 percent of people throughout the U.S. have made the decision to become an organ donor... a decision that has given life to many people across the country.

People like Dave Yish who was the recipient of a new heart. Yish says "it's given me an opportunity to see my kids grow up, my
daughter get married and all those things. And I don't know if I would be here today if it were not for somebody else who I don't know who made the gift of life for me."

Alexander says "we just miss him a lot and we're glad we could be a part of this and do this for him, it means a lot to all of us to make sure that everybody knows what Dan did and what he meant to all of us."

For more information on how to become an organ donor, log onto www.ctorgantissuedonation.org