Julie Chevalier was just 42, fit and healthy, when she suffered a brain aneurism and was placed on life support.
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Her death was unexpected and rocked her tight-knit family.
But the decision to donate her organs could not have been easier.
Son Rory said the family often discussed organ donation and his mother's wishes were clear.
"Weirdly we used to chat about it a lot and she would always say if she died just donate everything," he said.
"The day we lost her was just like any other day, it was so sudden.
"The shock just takes over and you feel very numb.
"But no one even had to approach us, as soon as they told us she wasn't going to make it, we said 'Well her organs have to be donated'."
Rory said the knowledge his mother's organs helped save the lives of eight other people helped in the grieving process.
He urged all families to have the conversation about organ donation, so if the time came, they knew exactly what to do.
"Just knowing that she was just such a caring and giving person, we know she would not have wanted to leave this world without being able to help someone with whatever she had left," Rory said.
"Grief is such a weird thing, you're on such a journey for years
"It really helped sometimes you have a crystallising moment that it wasn't all for nothing.
"She lives on through whole bunch of other people."
Rory said he was especially close to his mother, who had him at age 20.
She was his best friend, and the two talked daily.
"It can really help to know that whoever you lose they've gone on to help other people in their final act," Rory said.
People can register their intent to be organ donors at at donatelife.gov.au.
According to Donate Life, when someone is registered, nine in 10 families will say yes to donation.
There are about 1400 Australians on the organ donation waiting list, but less than 2 per cent of all hospital deaths happen in a way where organ donation is possible. That was about 1200 deaths in 2017.
Many more can become eye and tissue donors because tissues can be donated up to 24 hours after death, regardless of where it occurred.
