Cranford Mom Celebrates Life After Son’s Tragic Death Through 5K

CRANFORD, NJ — Cynthia Kudron lost her son, Christian Breskin, to a drug overdose at age 25 last year yet he is still living on in others as he was an organ donor.

Kudron, administrator for the New Jersey State PBA in Woodbridge and resident of Cranford, will celebrate his life and bring awareness to the importance of donating organs by participating in NJ Sharing Network's 5K Celebration of Life in New Providence on Sunday.

It was Aug. 17, 2017 when Kudron was driving back from her shore home in Belmar when she got a phone call from her fiance telling her to come home to Cranford now.

“I knew what it was before he even told me,” Kudron said. Breskin had been battling drugs over the past few years.

Kudron’s youngest daughter Gina came home from volleyball practice and called out to Breskin to see if he fed the family's pets. When he didn’t answer, she knocked on his bedroom door. When he didn’t answer she went inside to find him unconscious on the bed.

Immediately she started CPR and called 911. Paramedics were able to revive his heart and he was taken to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in Rahway and placed in the critical care unit.

“For any parent to see their child on life support is heart wrenching. He was declared officially dead five days later on Aug. 22 at 1:15 p.m. He was only 25 years old,” Kudon said.

But Breskin still lives on. At 19, Kudron suggested he be an organ donor when getting his driver’s license and he didn’t think twice about it.

“He was the type of person to walk into a store and just talk to everyone,” Kudon said. “He was a clown.”

Kudon noted because of “his decision to be an organ donor, his last gift to the world was granted through the NJ Sharing Network.”

Because Breskin’s blood type was rare he was able to help many people.

His heart went to a man in New Jersey who had been on the organ list for many years. His cornias were donated to two different people in Ohio. His liver went to an older woman in New Jersey. His left kidney went to a California woman who had been on the list for two years. His right kidney went to a man in New Jersey who had been on the list for three years. Some tissues and bones were donated as well.

“Thank goodness he still had it on his license because now he lives on,” Kudron said.

As part of the walk Kudron set up a team in Breskin’s honor called Christian’s Goobies since his favorite movie was the Goonies and Kudron called him Goobie. All proceeds raised by the Christian Goobie’s will be donated to the New Jersey Sharing Network.

To donate to Christian's Goobies click here.

The race will be held at NJ Sharing Network Headquarters, 691 Central Ave., New Providence with the run at 8:30 a.m. and walk at 10 a.m. For more information on the race or how to participate click here.

(Images via Cynthia Kudon: Christian Breskin)

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