Brett Harrison's legacy of love and generosity
Sharyn Harrison fondly describes her husband Brett as a 'bogan' with a passion for fast cars, motorbikes, boats, and footy. But beyond the adrenaline, Brett was a quiet hero.
Brett, from Ballarat, became only the second person in the country to donate organs after voluntary assisted dying (VAD), a final act of generosity at age 57.
“He was dying, and his organs were going to waste. He thought he may as well save someone else’s life,” said Sharyn.
“His attitude was: you’ve got a shitty disease, you’re going to die - let’s get something good out of this.”
Brett was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in 2020, just as the COVID pandemic began. With travel off the table, he scratched a ‘bucket list’ itch by buying a V8 Mercedes.
“He got to drive it, though not quite as hard as he would’ve liked,” Sharyn recalled.
“It was tough for him, losing the use of his hands and no longer being able to drive. He used to get his adrenaline rush out in the bush on his dirt bike.”
Brett was a natural handyman who relished fixing and building things, especially home renovations. He found joy in family; becoming a grandfather to Carter in 2021 and attending his eldest son Ryan’s wedding in 2022 were milestones that meant the world.
As the disease progressed, Brett’s mobility deteriorated. By the time lockdowns lifted, he required a wheelchair and had lost use of his limbs. “I had to scratch his face when he was itchy. He couldn’t feel anything from the neck down.”
Sharyn, a nurse, reduced her working hours to care for Brett. When he expressed interest in VAD, he also began a conversation with his doctors about organ donation.
“It didn’t surprise me. He was generous and very courageous,” she said.
“Those were the only two things left he could control—organ donation and choosing when to go. The disease had taken everything else.”
Yet organ donation meant sacrificing the peaceful home farewell often associated with VAD. To ensure his organs could be donated, Brett had to die in the ICU. His family couldn’t stay with him after death, as surgery needed to commence immediately.
“He gave up dying at home for this,’’ Sharyn said.
“Only Ryan and I were with him. The other kids chose not to be there at that moment.”
What made the experience even more profound was that Brett learned the night before that matches had been found for both of his kidneys and his liver.
“It was surreal—knowing that the next day, his organs would save lives,” said Sharyn.
“He was just annoyed he couldn’t give more.”
Brett’s heart wasn’t eligible due to age, and his lungs were ruled out because he was a smoker.
Sharyn is deeply proud of Brett’s final gift, and thankful he had access to VAD.
“I was conflicted. As a nurse, I’m trained to save lives. But I also couldn’t bear watching him suffer. Supporting his decision was the hardest, kindest thing I could do.”
Married in 2005, Sharyn remembers Brett as a dedicated husband, a current affairs junkie, and thrill-seeker—but most of all, a man devoted to his children Taylor (from his first marriage), Ryan, Sage and Jackson, and grandson Carter. He also welcomed Ryan's wife Charlotte and her daughter Chelsea, and loved them as family.
“He would do anything for them. We think of him every day. We light a candle on special occasions. And we talk to Carter about him so he knows how much his Pa loved him.”
Brett appears in The Power of Choice by Julian Kingma, a collection of photos and stories that document Australian stories of voluntary assisted dying. Buy the book here.
Read more about Brett's story in the Ballarat Courier.
To find out more about organ donation, see DonateLife.