When Daniel Perelman applied for his driving permit in high school, he decided to become an organ donor.

“Nobody in our family was an organ donor, not because we have anything especially against it, but just because we never thought about this,” said Benny Perelman, Daniel Perelman’s dad. “He was thinking and saying, ‘This is an opportunity to do something in the remote possibility, right? Why not?’”

Daniel Perelman, formerly a Weinberg freshman, died in May after a plane crash in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. He was part of the Integrated Sciences Program and multiple clubs at Northwestern. Daniel Perelman, who planned to pursue medicine after graduation, also shadowed a cardiologist in Evanston once or twice a week, his dad said.

After his death, Daniel Perelman’s heart, liver and kidneys were donated to four people. 

Benny Perelman said he and his wife, along with many of their friends, decided to become organ donors after seeing their son save lives. Daniel Perelman’s friends from NU would also occasionally message his family to tell them they registered for organ donation. 

Rabbi Levi Brook of Chabad of Waukesha-Brookfield arranged his son’s funeral and service, Benny Perelman said. Brook connected the family with Versiti, a non-profit that focuses on blood donation and research. In July, the Chabad of Waukesha-Brookfield hosted its first blood drive in collaboration with Versiti. The drive was an “amazing success,” according to Benny Perelman, and brought in more than 120 blood products. 

“We just realized that this power, the power of the story, had the potential of drawing so much attention,” he said. 

Since July, Daniel Perelman’s mom, dad and sister have led Daniel Gives Back, a charity that supports causes he cared about most. The organization has hosted four blood drives, donated 277 blood products and saved 829 lives, according to its website. Daniel Gives Back is also creating a scholarship in Daniel Perelman’s honor at Brookfield East High School, where his sister currently attends. 

Benny Perelman said the organization has branched into organ donation registration work by helping promote Student Organ Donation Advocates, an organization that educates high school and college students about organ donations. 

On Daniel Perelman’s birthday, March 2, about 15 of his friends painted The Rock with a plane, a heart and the words “We miss you Daniel.” They wrote the charity’s website URL on the ledge outside The Rock. 

Weinberg sophomore Ariel Gurevich, Daniel Perelman’s former roommate and friend, led the initiative. He said he wanted to paint The Rock to show Daniel Perelman’s parents that their son was still remembered on campus. Gurevich said he also wanted to spread awareness of the charity to support his friend’s goal of impacting people’s lives through medicine. 

Gurevich remembers Daniel Perelman as someone who was “very, very bright.” He said Daniel Perelman brought many of his current friends together, and many of his good friends have remained close following his death. 

“Daniel was an absolutely fantastic guy and brought so much life into any conversation, any interaction that he had with anybody,” Gurevich said. “The loss was felt by many of us very acutely. (There was a) strong force bringing us together in our remembrance and grief over him.” 

Weinberg sophomore Andrew Chin became friends with Daniel Perelman during an organic chemistry lab their freshman year. He said Daniel Perelman always made an effort to talk to him, even though Chin was shy. 

Last Spring Quarter, Chin said he introduced Daniel Perelman to his favorite anime, “Attack on Titan.” The two spent a lot of time watching TV together.

Since the accident, Chin said he and his friends have been trying to preserve Daniel Perelman’s legacy. 

“He always wanted to help people,” Chin said. “We want to make sure that he knows that even though he passed away, we take on his ideas. I feel like as his friend it’s still really important to help him know that he still has influence on the world.”

Correction: A previous version of this story misstated the number of blood products brought in from the first blood drive. The Daily regrets the error.

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Twitter: @joannah_11

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