Lee died last month at Oak Island after a big wave hit him, knocking him into the sand, breaking his neck. He was vacationing there were his wife and six kids.
Lee's wife, Shannon talked, exclusively with ABC11 about that horrible day.
She just received a letter from Carolina Donor Services which gives more details about the people who received Lee's organs.
[Ads /]
Lee's heart, liver, and kidneys were transplanted into four different people. The man who received Lee's liver wrote the Dingles: "I am grateful beyond comprehension for the gift of life you provided. God bless you!"
A mom of five children received Lee's right kidney.
"As a 37-year-old mother of six, I do like knowing that one of his kidneys gave life to a 40-something mom of five," Shannon told ABC11. "I hate that my kids have to grieve Lee's death, but I'm glad her kids aren't having to grieve like that."
Lee's bone and skin grafts are being used in numerous surgeries to help victims of cancer, trauma and reconstructive surgeries. Lee's lungs and pancreas were unable to be transplanted but were recovered for research.
Carolina Donor Services says these organs will impact thousands by helping the medical community learn more about life-saving treatments.
[Ads /]
Shannon says they can send letters to the recipients through Carolina Donor Services and that they probably will.
"It stings a bit to know that every life he saved with his organs was a person who has lived longer than he did," she said. "I'm grateful for their gain but deeply grieving our loss."
Shannon, now a single mom of six kids, is trying to pick up the pieces without Lee. The community continues to show their support and their GoFundMe continues to grow.