A 100-year-old World War II veteran from Nebraska has become the oldest known organ donor in the United States after his liver was successfully transplanted into a patient in need.
Dale Steele, a World War II veteran from Pierce, Nebraska, has been recorded as the oldest organ donor in the United States. Steele served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was deployed in several European countries during the war. After completing his military service, he returned to Nebraska and spent much of his life working in agriculture and equipment sales.
Steele lived to the age of 100. In early February 2026, he sustained a serious head injury and was admitted to the hospital. Despite medical care, his condition deteriorated. After discussions with healthcare professionals, his family agreed to organ donation following his death.
Steele passed away on February 11, 2026. After his death, medical teams evaluated his organs to determine whether they could be used for transplantation. Doctors confirmed that his liver was healthy enough for transplant.
The organ was recovered shortly after his death and transported for transplantation at a medical center associated with Nebraska Medicine. Surgeons successfully transplanted the liver into a patient waiting for a donor organ.
According to reports from the transplant team, the recipient responded well to the surgery and was discharged from the hospital several days later.
The donation and transplant process took place in Nebraska, United States. The case was coordinated by Live On Nebraska, a regional organ procurement organization that manages organ donation services in the state.
Organ procurement organizations work with hospitals to identify potential donors, evaluate organ health, and coordinate the transfer of organs to transplant centers. Their role includes ensuring that organs are matched and transported quickly so that transplant procedures can be performed safely.
Transplant specialists involved in the case explained that a donor’s chronological age does not automatically determine whether organs can be used. Instead, doctors evaluate the health and function of the specific organ.
Dr. Lee Morrow, Chief Medical Officer at Live On Nebraska, explained that the liver continuously renews its cells. As a result, even if the donor is 100 years old, the liver itself may be only a few years old in terms of cellular age.
Your liver is about 3 years old, my liver is about 3 years old, and that 100-year-old donor, his liver was about 3 years old.Dr. Lee Morrow, Chief Medical Officer at Live On Nebraska
Before an organ is accepted for transplantation, doctors perform a detailed evaluation. This process includes reviewing the donor’s medical history, assessing laboratory test results, and examining the organ’s structure and function.
Only organs that meet strict safety and quality standards are approved for transplant. These evaluations help ensure that the transplant procedure provides the best possible outcome for the recipient.
Organ transplantation remains a critical treatment option for patients with severe organ failure. Many patients with end-stage liver disease depend on liver transplantation as a life-saving intervention.
However, the demand for donor organs continues to exceed the available supply. Transplant programs increasingly assess donors individually to identify organs that may still function well despite factors such as advanced age.
Cases like Steele’s demonstrate how expanding donor criteria can help increase the number of organs available for transplantation.
The liver donation by Dale Steele highlights an important aspect of modern transplant medicine: donor eligibility depends on organ health rather than age alone.
His donation provided a transplant opportunity for a patient in need and represents a significant milestone in organ donation in the United States.
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