health
March 14, 2026
Second world war veteran, 100, becomes oldest-known US organ donor
Dale Steele, who died in February, ‘is a powerful reminder that generosity has no age limit’, says CEO of non-profit
TL;DR
- Dale Steele, a 100-year-old WWII veteran, is believed to be the oldest organ donor in the US.
- He served in France, Germany, Belgium, and Czechoslovakia during WWII and later guarded Nazi prisoners at the Nuremberg trials.
- Steele died in February after sustaining a head injury and being placed on life support.
- His liver was donated and successfully transplanted, attributed to the organ's ability to regenerate cells and the use of warm blood perfusion techniques.
- Organ procurement organizations emphasize that donor health, not age, is the key factor for organ donation viability.
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