By North Platte Post
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — Ten years ago today, 3-year-old Olivia Swedberg gave the ultimate gift — the gift of life. Following her unexpected passing on July 1, 2015, Olivia became an organ donor, saving four lives and giving the gift of sight to another.
Now, her mother, Lauressa Gillock, is honoring Olivia’s legacy by asking others to take just 10 minutes today to do something kind in her memory.
LISTEN TO INTERVIEW WITH LAURESSA GILLOCK
“She was the kindest, most free-spirited little girl,” Gillock told the North Platte Post. “She saw the beauty in everything, and that’s what I want people to do today — find the beauty, share the kindness, and just be a good human in Olivia’s honor.”
Gillock partnered with Live On Nebraska, the state’s organ and tissue donor network, to launch #Olivias10MinutesOfKindness — a movement aimed at spreading compassion and raising awareness about organ donation.
People are encouraged to perform a simple act of kindness, whether it’s volunteering, helping a neighbor, or simply making someone smile, and post a photo or video using the hashtag to inspire others.
“It takes less than 10 minutes to make someone’s day,” Gillock said. “And if you're able, take one more step and sign up to be an organ donor — one box on a form could save multiple lives.”
Olivia’s donation helped save four individuals — a legacy that continues to impact families across the region. Gillock says she hopes others will also consider registering as organ donors and, importantly, talking to their loved ones about their wishes.
“It’s a hard conversation, but it matters,” she said. “No one wants to make that decision in the moment. If you can say ahead of time, ‘This is what I want,’ you take the burden off your family — and maybe save a life.”
You can sign up to be an organ donor today in Olivia’s honor at LiveOnNebraska.org/ref/olivia.
📸 Share your acts of kindness using #Olivias10MinutesOfKindness 🫀 Sign up to be a donor at LiveOnNebraska.org/ref/olivia
Let Olivia’s story inspire you — not just today, but every day.