In life Luca Giovannini was a loving, lively and generous young boy who brought joy to everyone he met.
And after he died suddenly at the age of five he has continued to spread happiness.
For Luca has given the gift of life to four people after his organs were used in transplant operations.
One of those Luca has saved is a two-year-old girl who was close to death and is now expected to be home with her parents in time for Christmas.
A two-year-old boy also benefited from a transplant, as did a 35-year-old mother of two and a man aged 34.
Luca died just over 24 hours after he was taken to hospital complaining of feeling sick. Doctors are yet to confirm the cause of his death but believe he may have had a rare reaction to the usually-treatable Epstein-Barr virus.
Many children become infected with the virus but these infections usually cause no symptoms or are indistinguishable from other brief childhood illnesses.
But in rare cases it can cause complications such as swelling of the brain and heart and problems with the nervous system.
When doctors told Luca’s parents Vickie and Renzo that their son was not going to survive they made the decision that his death should not be in vain and that Luca would donate some of his organs for transplant.
Mr Giovannini, a 38-year-old financial adviser from Stockport, said: ‘When the medics were trying to save Luca’s life I asked a doctor what his chances were of surviving and he said we were looking at the worst-case scenario.
‘It’s a scenario which no parent wants to be faced with, but it was at that stage that we discussed organ donation.
‘We mentioned to the ward matron that we would like him considered for donation because we wanted something positive to come out of this.
‘We send Luca’s organs with love to all these people, especially to the little girl who they told us was just days away from dying.
‘She is now expected to leave hospital on Friday and be home in time for Christmas.
‘Luca did a lot of things in his short life whereas these two children have never been out of hospital and now hopefully they will get the chance to live similar lives.’ The little boy, who loved gymnastics, fell ill at 4am on November 14 and died at 7am the next day.
Mr Giovannini said: ‘One week we were thinking about buying Luca his Christmas present and the next we were looking for a grave for him.
‘He was such a lively lad who never sat still and he had such a sunny disposition and was a very happy little boy.’
Luca was taken by ambulance from Wythenshawe Hospital to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital where doctors battled in vain to save his life.
Janet Ayling, his teacher at St Hugh’s RC Primary in Timperley, said: ‘Somehow Luca’s love of life and his spirit will live on in all of us. ‘He will leave a legacy for all of us to follow – his beautiful smile, his gentle nature, and his whole happy being will never be forgotten.’
An inquest has been opened and adjourned. The funeral of Luca, who also leaves a brother Leo, two, took place.
Because the death of a child is often not foreseen, many families do not consider the possibility of organ donation.
It is therefore not common for children to become organ donors to adults although the organs of children can be transplanted into adults successfully.
Last week two children killed in a shooting in North Carolina saved 12 lives between them by organ donation.
Hannaleigh Michelle Suttles, eight, and 14-year-old Zachary Lee Smith were gunned down by Mary Ann Holder, 36, in Greensboro.
One person can save up to eight lives with their transplantable organs, which include the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, pancreas and small intestine.
Tissue donations can benefit up to 50 people.