Through organ donation, 19-year-old Rayshawn Koster, who died of a suspected heroin overdose, helped a handful of people live longer, including his grandmother.
His kidneys were given to his grandmother who he never met.
Koster, of Karns, was known by his sisters as Bubba. He died from a suspected heroin overdose this past December.
"To our knowledge he took some heroin. And we're not exactly sure of the entire story, but they didn't get him to an ambulance in time," Koster's aunt Michelle Huggins said.
Huggins said Rayshawn was not a regular heroin user. Family members acknowledge Rayshawn went through some trouble when he was finishing high school, but he was well-loved by many.
Even though his death is tragic, his family feels comfort knowing Rayshawn continues to help other people.
"It's a way of coping with the grief knowing there's a part of Rayshawn that lives on," Huggins said.
LEARN MORE: Tennessee Organ & Tissue Donor Registry
There's a trend of stories similar to Rayshawn's. The opioid epidemic has led to more organ donations and transplants across the country.
According to federal data, the number of organ donors who died of overdose more than doubled from 2014 to 2017.
Billy Jarvis with Tennessee Donor Services is a organ recipient himself. He said it's bittersweet for so many families.
"I've had 27 more Christmases with my family and you never take that for granted, and it's an incredible experience. It's something that's hard to explain," Jarvis said.
Rayshawn's family hopes to meet the other families who received his organs.
"There's at least five families that don't have to miss their loved one this Christmas and next year and the days to come. We have to miss Rayshawn, but they don't have to miss theirs," Huggins said.